The Deal republished
by sarcain
Summary: What happens if Sookie doesn't assume that Bill is dead. Is turnig to Erik for help a mistake, or is it the best decision of her life. M is for sMut city! Erik/Sookie with a little Pam added for spice.AU for erik and pam's relationship.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Sookie took a quick breath and shook her blond hair out behind her. Her shoulders pushed back and her mouth tight with nerves she approached Fangtasia. The line was filled with the same leather-clad wannabes that were there every night. Sookie didn't spare them a glance as she walked past to where Pam was standing. She didn't notice the eyes that followed her as she moved in her ruby red summer dress.

"Sookie" Pam smiled with what appeared to be pleasant surprise. "You're lookin' well" she purred. Sookie forced a smile. A chill went down her spine as she noted the interest in the vampire's eyes. It wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't aware of how disinterested Pam _usually_ was with everything. Sookie didn't need to read her mind to know that manning the door wasn't Pam's favorite.

"I need to talk to Erik" Sookie told her, a quaver in her voice betraying the panic she was trying to hide. She had spent the day waiting for night to fall, waiting to come here. But she knew if she seemed desperate the help she had come for would end up costing her more than she could afford.

A shapely brow rose on Pam's smooth face. She looked Sookie up and down before her smile widened and she moved to let her through the front door. "You know where to find him" she drawled, letting her attention return to the line of people waiting to get into the club.

Sookie moved through the crowd easily, making her way to Erik's throne. It wasn't a special chair, nor was it raised above the rest of the room more than slightly; it was the vampire that sat in the chair that made it a throne.

"Erik"

Just his name from her lips and she felt her heart beat faster. That he undoubtedly knew his affect on her made it worse. His presence was so overpowering that it was a palpable menace in the air. She had experienced a lot in the last month and met a lot of vampires, some of whom had wanted to eat her. But it wasn't until she had felt Erik's eyes on her that she had truly felt like prey.

His cold blue eyes seared into her and before she could blink he was by her side. It made her head spin, his speed. Bill was usually careful to keep himself in check around her and she wasn't used to what vampires were truly capable of. She opened her mouth to speak but he had already taken her arm and was guiding her to a corner table that was abandoned as he approached it. The people who left gave him anxious looks, but Sookie's mind flashed with their excited and sexual thoughts. As Erik helped her to a seat she wasn't surprised at the envy sent her way but blushed as some of them were over her and not Erik.

"You look good enough to eat" he told her with a half smile on his pale face. Sookie looked into his eyes and saw the amusement there, wondered which of them he was laughing at. "Though I am surprised to see you here again so soon. And alone...how delightful"

"I came to talk about somethin' that happened today" she told him with renewed resolve. His suggestive words triggered a flash of memory from her first visit and she missed Bill even more. She was going to get his help no matter what.

"By all means" he gestured to her to continue. And taking a deep breath, she did.

It didn't take very long to explain to Erik what had happened the night before at the bar. How the vampires had come in looking for Bill, and exactly how they had convinced him to leave with them. She told him about what she had heard the guys thinking and about staying at Bill's waiting to make sure he was safe. But when she started to describe the burnt house and the mess that the sheriff had told her was the vampires...

"Sookie" Erik's cool hands came out to clasp hers as she dug her nails into her palms. She slowly relaxed and looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I need to know" she whispered. "I don't know who else can help me....and I need to know if he was killed"

Erik's face remained impassive as he looked into her eyes. His hands tightened on hers briefly before letting go. "Only because I know Bill so well can I do this" he told her without blinking. No emotion showed on his face and Sookie's breath caught as she was torn between relief and fear.

"So you'll help?" she asked, the hope in her voice making Erik's lips curl again.

"Isn't that why you came here?" he asked softly. "To make a deal with me?"

"A deal?"

"A deal, Sookie Stackhouse, for my help" Erik confirmed her fears as he leaned back and eyed her. "If I help you or not is dependent on you"

"What do you want from me?" she asked breathlessly, already knowing the answer.

"Everything" he answered simply eyeing her shoulders where the spaghetti straps from her dress met her flesh. Sookie was struck numb for a minute as she processed what that could possibly mean. She imagined that that best case scenario would be if he only wanted to have sex with her...she didn't want to think about what the worst case scenario would entail. "Do you know that you are wearing my very favorite color?" Erik cut into her thoughts easily, not bothering to move his eyes from her body.

"Not very original" Sookie scoffed looking down at the blood red dress she now regretted wearing. "I mean, a vampire likin' the color red and all" she finished pertly, deciding suddenly that she wasn't going down without a fight.

"I suppose not" he laughed at her as his eyes lit up for the first time since she arrived. "But to be fair, you wore it on purpose hoping that I would like it"

"Did I?" she averred not wanting to give him the point. "I suppose you're readin' my mind, are you?" she challenged, unconsciously wanting to remind him of the other uses he could have for her. She knew that Bill had filled Eric in on the details of her 'gift' after she had been here the first time. It had naturally been a point of interest after she had warned Eric of an upcoming police raid on his bar.

"No Sookie" he said as leaned forward enough for her to feel his cool breath on her cheek. "That's what I'm going to have you for" he whispered.

"That's the deal then" Sookie jumped on his words enthusiastically. "You help me and I'll read someone's mind for you whenever you want"

Erik pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. She held her breath without realizing it. He slowly moved in until his lips feathered across hers. Her breath raggedly released and her chest heaved from the emotions crashing inside. He seemed to breathe in the smell of her breath before he moved in to repeat his soft kiss, barely meeting lips.

"I help you" he said against her lips. "And whatever I find, you come back with me". He finally put some pressure into his kiss and when she gasped in surprise he took advantage by slipping his tongue into her warm mouth. After a moment of resistance Sookie gave in and returned the kiss. She knew there was no other way to find out for sure what had happened to Bill. And without knowing that, what life was there for her anyway.

Sookie stood by her car as she hugged her sides. It was a little cold out, but she didn't feel like waiting in the car for Erik. After they had sealed the deal, Erik had been quick to fulfill his side of the bargain. He had walked, slowly for him, with her to the front door. Coming out into the night sky he had met Pam's look evenly, nodding towards Sookie and telling her not to wait up. Sookie wasn't sure what she had expected from Pam, but a knowing and somewhat excited smile was not it.

He had driven her car quickly back to the scene of the crime from the night before and without a word had gotten out of the car and vanished.

So here she was, waiting for her new 'owner' to come back and tell her if Bill was dead or alive. It wasn't more than a few minutes before he returned to her silently. She stifled a shriek as he came from behind her and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry" he whispered into her hair. She knew from his voice that he didn't mean from scaring her. Anguish crashed through her as she finally faced what she had already suspected.

"He's dead" she choked it out from a throat clogged with unshed tears.

"No Sookie" Erik said as he tightened his grip on her. "He isn't"


	2. Chapter 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the reviews and the smut starts pretty serious now so don't read it if you don't want it!! Keep the reviews coming and don't be afraid of giving some constructive criticism.

Chapter 2

"What?!" Sookie tried to pull away from Erik but he wouldn't let her go even an inch.

"I could smell the ones who died here and Bill wasn't one of them. I would recognize his scent" he explained calmly. One of his hands moved to her stomach where he gently caressed her. Sookie barely noticed as she assimilated what he had told her.

Bill wasn't dead.

"It's time to go now" Erik's deep voice called to her from what seemed like miles away. She moved her head to look up into his eyes. He hadn't moved from how he had been holding her. "We will go to your house for the day until it is safe for me to look for him"

"Look for him?" she said blankly. Relief had turned her mind into mush.

"Yes" he answered lifting her up into his arms to transfer her to the passenger seat of her car. As he got into the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition he looked over to her with what looked like glowing eyes. "I'll need you to explain to him that you are mine now".

Sookie sank into her seat as understanding dawned. That was why he had said sorry earlier. With Bill alive it would be harder for her to be with Erik. And she had no doubt that she was going to be with Erik. She had given him her word and there was no going back on it now. She knew that Bill would suffer if she tried to fight.

Erik would kill him if he had to.

And if Sookie didn't convince Bill that she wanted to go with Erik, than he would need to be killed before letting her be taken. A sob caught in her throat at her stupidity. If she had just waited he would have back to her, and they would be together. But now that was all over.

Before she knew it they were in front of her house and Erik was lifting her into his arms again. A part of her noticed the way his muscles rippled underneath her, but she pushed the thought away as she tried to focus on a way of getting Bill out of this mess she had made.

"Invite me in Sookie" Erik said calmly as he stood at the threshold.

"Go in" she whispered lightly, not even considering that she could have used her home as a sanctuary from him. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. As if he had been here before, he went straight to her room and put her down on her bed. She watched as he went to her curtains and looked at them critically.

"I have some black out curtains in the attic" she offered, knowing what he was thinking. "My brother Jason used them when he was a teenager. He hated gettin' the sun in his eyes on Saturday mornin".

"Show me"

Sookie got up and walked only a few steps before Erik had scooped her up into his arms again. "You don't need to carry me everywhere you know?" she told him with exasperation.

He only looked down at her seriously. "It's always best to be very close for the first month or so" he explained matter-of-factly. "It helps to solidify the bond"

Sookie knew her mouth was hanging open but she didn't care. He made it sound as if...

"Have you had other humans like this before?" she asked incredulously. She hadn't thought that Erik was the type to keep many _pets_.

"Only once" he answered her with his crooked smile on his face. She hated that smile; hated how human it seemed. "And Pam seems quite happy with how it worked out for her"

Eyes nearly bugging out of her head, she clutched at him as he headed towards the attic. Did that mean...?

"Yes Sookie" Erik answered her unasked question. "I plan on keeping you"

The black curtains had been hung up (stapled into the wall despite her protests) and blankets pulled back on the bed before her brain started to work again. She glanced to Erik and watched, mesmerized, as he began to undress. His pale skin gleamed in the light from the lamp, a stark contrast from the back jeans he still wore. She must have made a sound because, faster than her eyes could see, his eyes were on her. A blush stained her cheeks as she knew he had caught her ogling his well muscled chest.

"Do you feel safe with just the curtains?" Sookie asked, trying to find some way of stopping what she knew was inevitable. "All anyone would have to do is pull the staples out and pull them back and you'd..." she couldn't finish, not really knowing what to say other than 'poof'.

"A vampire sleeps very deeply in the day" Erik said calmly, apparently not surprised by her comment. "But I am very old and can maintain an awareness that would give me time to react to something like that"

At that moment Erik began to pull at the snap of his jeans. Sookie's attempt at a distraction crumbled. Despite being used to Bill's well-shaped body, Sookie felt her mouth water from looking at Erik. He wasn't an over-puffed bodybuilder type, but was still bigger than Bill. She thought it had to be his larger frame, and her embarrassment grew as her fingers longed to trail over his skin.

She had always thought herself to be a little more straight-laced than the rest of the women in town. And even after Bill, had been convinced that she was only so wild because she loved him. But now she was starting to think she was some kind of slut! The only thing that had stopped her from fucking her way through every guy in town was probably knowing their thoughts!

"What's wrong?" Erik asked as he watched the play of emotions cross her face.

"I must be some kind of slut or something" she answered dejectedly, not bothering to hide her thoughts from him. What was the point anymore?

Erik sat next to her on the bed and cupped her chin in his hand. "You will not talk about my human like that" he ordered her firmly. Sookie's eyes flashed up at him in surprised anger and Erik laughed with pleasure. "You are mine" he asserted softly, moving in to kiss her. After a breathless minute he broke away to stand once more, Sookie looking on helplessly. "No one else will touch you like that but me...so how can you be a slut?" he teased her lightly as he began to take off his jeans.

"I don't love you" she answered fiercely. He paused in his movements to look at her, but continued again without breaking eye contact. From her peripheral vision, Sookie could see him lower his pants until he was completely naked in front of her. She wouldn't let herself look, but it was a strain. Everything about him was so beautiful that she yearned to see the rest. She tried to bring the image of Bill to mind but couldn't. She was torn between guilt and a sweet sense of relief. Being here with Erik was a betrayal in itself, but feeling the way she did would help her push Bill away when the time came.

"What is it that you love about Bill?" Erik asked as he stood there shamelessly.

"I..." Her mind came up blank and she panicked. She knew that she loved Bill. What she was feeling must be a trick or something, he must be doing this.

"Have you ever heard of infatuation?" he asked, still holding her gaze captive with his own. "Is it possible that simply meeting a man whose thoughts you couldn't hear drew you to him? That the excitement of a vampire along with your first taste of sex simply made you think that it was love?"

"No!" Sookie denied vehemently. She tried to ignore the evidence that Bill had shared more information about her than she had thought. When she had first visited Eric she had been a virgin, but the only way he could know that was through Bill. "We love each other"

"He loves you, but so do other men" Erik said as he stepped forward. "But you would not be looking at me like you are if you were in love with him"

"I...I..." she stammered, trying to think of a way to argue against him. But deep down a part of her wondered. "How do you know what Bill feels?" she demanded, suddenly angry. "Did he tell you that when he was spillin' the rest of our personal business?"

Eric laughed softly and shook his head. "Bill told me...'your personal business' because he thought it would convince me that I would never win you from him. To convince me that you loved him"

"I do love him!" she insisted desperately.

"You want me" he negated firmly and broke the spell that had been on her the past minutes by moving forward. Her eyes moved down to take in the full scope of his nudity and her eyes widened. She hadn't known how true it was when she said that he was bigger than Bill.

She didn't have more than a second to look before he was on her. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once. And before she knew it her dress was unzipped and pulled down her body, leaving her with only panties to cover her. They were red to match the dress and she swallowed as Erik grinned at her.

"_You_ are my favorite color" he whispered before leaning down and taking one of her tightened nipples into his mouth. Sookie arched into him as heat shot through her body. His cool fingers pinched her other nipple in tandem to the pulls of his mouth and she could feel her hips rock at the sensations. It seemed as if every twinge in her breasts throbbed in her clit until she was as wet as she had ever been. His hands were rough at her waist as he pulled at her underwear but she didn't care. She had discovered with Bill that she liked it a little rough and hurried, and Erik was giving her exactly what she wanted.

Her legs opened and curled over his hips as she tried to pull him in. She wanted to feel his cock rubbing against her slick heat. He didn't resist, chuckling hoarsely at her eagerness. Their moans mingled as the head of his cock nudged her entrance. She felt as if her whole body was tingling and couldn't stop from positioning herself as she wanted. She rubbed herself so that his penis stimulated her clit and cried out his name from the sensations.

"Sookie" Erik grunted as he levered his hand between them and took hold of his rod. She braced herself for his entry but he traced her folds with his tip, only dipping in to transfer more of her slickness to him. Then he ground himself gently into her clit, not letting off the pressure until she was panting from it.

"Erik, oh god, Erik" she gasped as he brought her to orgasm. Just as the aftershocks began to fade he speared her with his cock. His size added to the shock and as he quickly began to pump in and out she began to come again, this time her inner muscles milking his cock. He groaned and pushed deep, giving her a fuller release and simply enjoying the sensations of her orgasm around him.

When she had finished and her legs were hanging limp off of him he grinned and started it once more. Starting off slowly he would pull completely out before pushing completely back in. He kept that up until she was moaning again, her head thrashing from side to side. When her hips began to undulate underneath him he let himself go. Thrusting in and out of her tight warm channel, he gritted his teeth and stared down at where their bodies met. His balls tightened at the sight of his cock pushing in and out of her and he moved faster and faster. His fingers moved to pinch and flick at her clit as he pounded her hard. Just as she came for the third time he let himself go. Sookie could feel him orgasm and it gave a renewed strength to her own until tears were streaming down her face and she was clutching him to her chest.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER; I don't own any of these characters

Chapter 3

Sookie awoke from a daze to the feeling of fingers tracing lightly across her stomach. Moving her head to the side she looked up into Erik's blue eyes. He was on his side with his head propped up on one hand while the other continued to stroke her. His hair was mussed from her fingers, but he otherwise looked exactly the same as any other time she had seen him.

It was a little disconcerting for her. She had just had the most erotic experience of her life with her _second_ vampire lover, who she had also bartered her life away to. He had shaken her emotions to the core and had her questioning things she had taken for granted less than 24 hours before.

He looked completely unaffected.

Anger and indignation swelled up in her as she pushed up and looked down at him, his fingers dropping to the blankets covering her waist. Her chest was naked for his viewing pleasure, but he maintained eye contact completely. It only made her angrier.

"I almost feel like I should tell you to stop looking so self-satisfied" she bit out. "But that is obviously not a problem for you"

"How do I look?" he asked with curiosity evident in his voice. He didn't move from his position on the bed.

"Bored" she snapped. "As always"

A knowing smile lit Erik's face up and she turned from him, wanting to get up. "I can assure you that I was anything but bored a few moments ago" he said easily.

"I guess that now that you're done with me..." Sookie began stiffly, her words cut off as he grabbed her by the waist and flipped her back down on the bed. A shriek struggled out of her throat as her wide eyes met his blazing ones.

"I have already explained to you Sookie" he said evenly with an edge of impatience. "I plan on keeping you. I will never 'be done with you'. Take these thoughts from your mind as they will only lead to disappointment"

And before she could decipher her reaction to his words he had covered her body with his own and claimed her lips. He pushed into her channel forcefully with his newly hard shaft. Their mingled cum, still inside her, eased the way. He pounded into her with no apparent consideration of her pleasure, his mind completely focused on reaching his own peak.

She looked up into his tense features and felt her body tighten at the sight of his passion. He was right; he certainly didn't look bored when he was fucking her. All of her inhibitions seemed to melt away as she pumped her hips up to meet his thrusts eagerly. Her nerves were pulled tight with need and she didn't hesitate from taking what she wanted.

Her hands went from his waist up to her breasts, squeezing the nipples and twisting lightly. Her eyes closed from the sensations and she didn't see the response on Erik's face at the sight of it. He rocked into her faster and faster, hitting a spot inside of her that had her keening out with ecstasy. He shouted out her name hoarsely as he squirted his warmth inside of her, his eyes locked on her features as she reached her own pleasure.

Sookie's thighs were shaking from exertion as she came back down from her high. She sucked in a deep breath and it shuddered out as Erik flipped over again, placing her on top with his semi-hard penis still lodged inside her. Her head flopped down on his chest as her muscles refused to work.

"Just because you can't recognize the emotions on my face don't mean that they aren't there" Erik said in his normal tone. Sookie tried to lift from his chest but her arms wouldn't hold her weight yet. "And I apologize if you feel misused by me"

A weak chuckle escaped Sookie as she decided to snuggle into Erik's hard chest as best as she could. "No. I think that you used me just right" she teased lightly.

The last thing she remembered was his hand stroking down her hair.

Erik listened as Sookie's heart slowed into the steady tempo of sleep. He continued to stroke her casually as he looked up at her ceiling. The answering smile from her joke lingered on his lips as he played the night back in his head.

He had known the instant she had walked into the bar that he was going to get his chance. Since their brief meeting a week prior, his mind had been consumed with thoughts of her. She had stood out by looks alone, but after having spoken to her he had been intrigued by the mystery that was Sookie Stackhouse.

Pam had noticed of course. She always did. But strangely enough she had known that this human was different too. The first thing she had said on arriving at their home that night was proof enough of that;

'It's a shame that an interesting girl like that is bein' wasted on Bill'

'I thought you liked him'

'A mainstreamer like him won't wanna share'

Erik could still remember the purr of her voice as she spoke and felt himself harden inside of Sookie again. He shifted slightly so that he could gently rock inside of her. He didn't want to deny himself the pleasure, but knew she needed sleep. The image rose in his head of Pam and Sookie playing together as he watched and he had to bite back a moan.

He and Pam had shared a girl between them before, but Erik knew that this would be different. Sookie wasn't going to be some fang banger that they amused themselves with before draining. She was going to be one of them. And knowing how much Pam was anticipating it made him want it that much more.

A soft moan came from Sookie as he continued to rock inside of her. He could feel her pussy clench around him and wondered if she would come in her sleep. He smiled at the thought. But it wasn't meant to be. Not long after that, Sookie stirred and automatically moved up to position herself to ride. Erik gripped her hips and moved her easily to the rhythm he wanted.

"Erik" she moaned as her hands moved once again to stimulate her own nipples. Grinding her down on him he had to fight the urge to start pounding her again. This time he wanted it to be for her; to be gentle. He kept the pace measured until Sookie surged against him with frustration. She bit her bottom lip as her body called to him to finish it. Gripping her tighter, he maintained the same speed of penetration.

Then one of her hands trailed down her body until it tangled with the soft hair of her pussy. She was stretched tight around him and he could feel her fingers as she flicked at her clit. Growling at the action he replaced her missing fingers at her nipple with one of his own hands as his other went to smooth down the crack of her ass. He followed the line until he could feel himself pushing up inside of her. It was so erotic that he lost control of his speed and he hammered into her until she was screaming his name again. It was to that beautiful sound that he came for the third time that night.

Sookie seemed to melt over him like butter and he frowned as he felt her muscles quivering in overexertion. He had pushed her hard tonight, harder than he should have. The only reason he had was because he wanted Bill to smell him all over her when he found out about the deal she had made. He knew that Bill would throw his life away trying to save her from her own mistake... unless he thought she was happy. And while Erik wasn't arrogant enough to think that Sookie's farewell to Bill would be a happy one, he knew that she couldn't hide her inner turmoil. If Bill thought that there was even a part of her that would be happy with Erik he might stand aside.

At least that was what he was hoping for. He hated to think of the damage it would do to Sookie to have to watch Bill die. And that is exactly what would happen if he tried to fight for her.

Standing quickly and carrying her to her bathroom he held her with one arm as he turned her shower on full-blast. She muttered at being moved but didn't really react until he dunked her head under the water.

Sputtering with surprise she struggled in his arms until he tightened his hold warningly. "We both need a shower" he explained, not setting her down completely as he began lathering her up with soap. And it was true enough with the sweat and the cum that had been drying on their bodies. But he wanted the warm water to ease her aching muscles and the shower to refresh her for a deep sleep.

"You got my hair wet!" she admonished him sternly. The annoyed look on her face lost almost all of its sting as she seemed to purr at his touch. He chuckled easily, wondering at the lightness that she made him feel. Sookie was so fresh and unjaded by the world that it made everything seem new to him again as well. It wasn't until she had walked into his life that he had realized just how bored of it all he had become. He knew that she would be just what he needed in his life; a little uncertainty.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"All I'm sayin' is that you didn't have to get my hair wet" Sookie complained as she rubbed a towel over her wet mane vigorously. Erik watched her from where he was sitting on her bed. The second towel was around his hips.

There were only two towels in Sookie's bathroom.

"But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of watching you dry it" he drawled as he took in the jerky movement of her lithe body. She stopped and looked over at him, her head tilted to the side with her arms raised. Erik grinned at her as he read the emotions playing over her face. She had become used to being naked with him to the point where she hadn't even noticed it. And while that was an incredibly satisfying thing to discover, he was also charmed by the full-body blush that he was witnessing now.

Quickly dropping the towel and whipping it around her body, Sookie went to her armoire and retrieved her brush. She was angrily pulling it through the strands when Erik came up behind her. He had his towel in his hands and began to gently finish drying her hair.

He noticed her hands tighten on her brush handle and turned her enough to look down at her closed eyes. He knew she was waiting for him to jump her. And considering their state of undress, along with his current track record of never passing up a chance, he could understand. There was even a part of his anatomy that thought it was a good idea. But after living as long as he had, the only time his penis made the decisions was when he let it.

"You need to sleep" he said softly, the circles under Sookie's eyes making him frown. Then it was her dark brown eyes looking into his and he took a step back. He moved to where his boxer shorts were laying on the floor and began putting them on.

"Where you goin'?" Sookie asked dazedly.

Erik quirked an eye toward the black curtains blocking out the first rays of the morning sun and then at Sookie. "I'm not going anywhere. And that is something that we have in common" he walked over to the bed and ripped off all the soiled sheets and threw them into a corner. Ignoring her sounds of protest he took out the extra set he had gotten from the attic earlier and fitted them on before she could take a step.

"I would'a never imagined you changin' sheets" came Sookie's bemused voice from behind him. He only smiled as he lifted her onto the fresh sheets, removing her towel in the same movement.

"Humans are not permitted where I sleep" he explained as he turned off the lamp and joined her in bed. "And I don't think of Pam as my slave"

"So I'll never go there?"

"You're different Sookie" he murmured. "You'll change your own sheets or you'll share mine, as it pleases you"

"Pleases me?"

"Once you're reborn there will be little that I will deny you. And what I do will be for your own good"

"I don't understand. I thought the point of the deal was so that I belong to you" she said weakly. Erik felt a surge of pride for her courage at discussing this in the first place. He had wanted to make his plans for her as matter of fact as he could, but her easy acceptance was a shock to him.

"The point of the deal was to legitimize my actions and to nullify Bill's claim on you" He cuddled her closer as he felt her fidget. He wasn't sure how she would take hearing his entire plan for her. "He had never intended on turning you, so that is also in my favor. I am giving you a gift while he thought of you as a toy"

"Bill nev..."

Her words strangled in her throat as Erik ran his fingers over the puncture holes that she knew where still visible on her neck. Erik wasn't angry. "Bill behaved the way any vampire would while having a sexual relationship with a human woman. And despite the fact that he was mainstreaming, there was still a part of him that thought of you as food"

"_How can you be in love with your dinner?"_

The question reverberated Sookie's head as she ate that night in her kitchen. She ate ravenously, it being her first meal in over 12 hours. But her mind still raced with Erik's words. Her own fingers followed where his had traced on her neck and she shuddered. Before Erik she had thought Bill's 'appetite' was normal. But now she wasn't so sure.

Erik hadn't bitten her once. That seemed to take on a special significance now. He had told her over and over that she was special and he was going to make her his forever, but she hadn't understood. He truly thought of it as giving her a gift.

Why did that sound so appealing?

Could it be because with Gran gone she felt all alone? Erik would keep her safe, she knew that without a doubt. He had been too gentle the night before for her to think anything else. She might be leaving all of her old life behind but it had never been much of a life anyway. Her new life would start with being wanted by a strong, and beautiful vampire. It was a powerful thing to discover.

Plus the sex was amazing.

Sookie shook her head to get rid of the betraying thoughts. No matter what Erik said, she had a feeling that the rest of the world would look at her as a slut. But then again, the rest of the world was filled with hypocrites.

She read minds. She worked in a bar. Those two factors alone put her in the prime position to know that almost everyone was thinking dirty thoughts; they just didn't admit it.

Sookie's head lifted and steel seemed to stiffen her spine with pride. She wasn't going to be ashamed of her sexuality. She of all people knew that it was completely natural. The difference between a slut and a decent woman was only self-respect.

Or at least she hoped so.

----------------

Erik stood at the doorjamb and watched the emotions on Sookie's face as she ate. He didn't like seeing humans eat, but watching her when she thought she was alone was illuminating. When others were nearby she closed her face and no one could tell what she was really thinking. So he reveled in seeing her 'unmasked'.

Sookie was already near perfect in bed, but he could tell that she was holding back. So was he. It was natural considering her human frailty, but he still couldn't wait until they could let themselves go wild together.

"Sookie" he said, enjoying the simple pleasure of saying her name and knowing that she would answer. Her head turned just as she was taking a massive bite from her sandwich, and she had to swallow before sending him an embarrassed smile.

"Erik!" she spluttered "I didn't see you there"

"As a vampire you will know when I am within a quarter mile of you" he said matter-of-factly. He went and sat across from her at the table. He enjoyed telling her about the assorted perks of his existence. He figured that it would make the actual event easier for her to take. But no matter how prepared he made her, it was always traumatic.

Pam was proof of that. When he had met her he had known right away that she would be his first. He had seduced her into it, and when that failed he had glamoured her. But afterwards it had taken him years for her to completely forgive him. Erik looked at Sookie with his head tilted to one side. He didn't think she would be begging him for anything. A smile lit up his face.

"What?" she asked him suspiciously.

"I was just imagining what Pam will think when you become my favorite" he murmured honestly. He would never lie to her.

"What?!" she gasped.

Erik chuckled as the blood left her face. Fear at Pam's reaction was obviously the cause and it filled him with humor. No matter how angry, Pam would never touch a hair on Sookie's head. She knew better.

"Don't worry Sookie" he comforted her with a smile still on his coldly handsome features. "She might leave for a while, but she'll be back. She always does"

"She can leave?"

Erik's smile vanished as if it had never existed. He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard hope in her question. If she thought that she would be free to leave him once her transformation was complete, than she had another thing coming.

"She has been with me for many years and can come and go as she pleases" he explained, his voice emotionless. "New vampires, like you will be, don't have the same freedom. I will need to teach you. It will be a long time before you are ready"

"Ready?"

Erik softened as he realized that the note in her voice had been nothing but curiosity. She didn't know half of what he had expected. But he wasn't surprised. Bill wanted to play the human, not remind himself that he was a vampire.

"There are rules that have to be followed. These rules protect the individual as well as the whole of vampire society. If a young vampire is allowed to run loose killing unreservedly, people will notice. And the upper echelons of my society don't like being noticed"

"I guess I can understand that" she said shakily. Then her eyes widened. "I'm not gonna kill anyone!" she said firmly, her head shaking to underline her point.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Erik smiled at Sookie.

"Don't laugh at me" she scolded lightly, fighting a laugh at his obvious enjoyment. "I meant what I said. I plan on havin' True Blood and only True Blood"

"That will be up to you to decide" he returned calmly.

"You won't try to influence me in any way?"

"No" he reassured her. "But I won't stop you if you have a weak moment"

Sending him an impatient look, Sookie rose to bring her empty plate to the sink. "Then it's a good thing I don't plan on havin' any 'weak moments'" She only jumped slightly when Erik came up behind her. She relaxed into his arms, feeling completely safe.

"None of us do" he whispered into her ear, making her shiver. Before she could figure out another argument he had spun her around and into his arms.

"My leg muscles are gonna atrophy if you keep carryin' me around" she chided as he brought her down the hall to her room. He set her down by her closet and stepped back.

"Get dressed" he said, disregarding her joke. His face had suddenly, but completely, taken on a serious cast and Sookie felt its shockwaves course down her spine.

"What is it?" she asked tensely.

"We have to leave now" he answered her simply. There was something about the finality of his words that made her heart clench. She opened her mouth to ask, but read the answer in his eyes. They were leaving. And she wasn't coming back.

"Can I take a few things?" she asked breathlessly.

Erik felt pride swell up inside of him at how easily she was taking it. He had half expected angry tears and recriminations. But he should have known better. Since meeting Sookie he had experienced more surprises then he had in his entire life as a vampire. Humans tended to be predictable; but not Sookie.

"No" he answered bluntly, closing his heart to the pain that flashed across her face. He knew that she would want mementos of her loved ones to take with her, just as he knew that a part of her would still treasure them even after she was turned. But he couldn't allow her to cling to her old life.

Her old life would lead her back to Bill.

"We will buy you new things to replace the old" he told her coldly as a tear trailed down her cheek. Erik watched as she dashed it away, and wished briefly that he could bring himself to care. But her pain was necessary. And understanding that took away all regret.

"What if I want my old things?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"It doesn't matter what you want" he answered her honestly. "Not yet"

"So when I'm a...."

"It will take years before I can be sure that you are ready" he interrupted. "And by then you won't want the same things"

"And if I do?" she challenged, her voice rising in the challenge he loved seeing in her.

"Then you won't be ready" he answered with a quirk of his lips.

"God damn you Erik. Don't laugh at me!" she yelled, her fists balling in her sudden rage. Erik unconsciously thought back to just moments ago when she had said almost the same thing. And yet the difference between the two conversations was like day and night.

He was at her side in an instant, grabbing her arms roughly and snapping her head back. Sookie gasped in fear and surprise. Erik's eyes burned down into hers as he shook her again. "Maybe I have been too easy on you" he hissed through his teeth. "There is only one thing for you to understand Sookie; you belong to me"

He released her and stalked out of the room, pausing just outside the doorway. "You have 5 minutes to get dressed". And without looking back he left her alone.

----------------

Sookie didn't waste a second before she started riffling through her clothes. Scattering things on the floor, she rushed to find her favorite piece of clothing.

Erik had told her to get dressed, but he hadn't told her what to wear. She found what she had been looking for and quickly stripped out her robe and put it on. Turning to glance only once in the mirror she hurried down the stairs to where Erik was waiting for her. With him in his current mood she didn't think it was wise to push by taking too long.

He met her at the stairs and looked at her silently. She lifted her chin and continued down the stairs without pausing. She moved to pass by him, but he caught hold of her arm. She swallowed as she made herself meet his icy gaze. There was a moment when she thought he would rip the dress off of her. She knew he was capable.

Sookie just needed to remember that he was capable of much more.

There must have been something in her eyes to reassure him, because he released her arm and let her move on. He followed and Sookie had the feeling that he was herding her towards the door. She let him.

"We'll start looking for him at his house" he said from behind her.

"Do you think he'll be there?" she asked, disbelieving that Bill would be so close and not come to her. Thinking about what she was about to do to him made her heart cry out. After last night she didn't deserve a second look from him, and she wasn't sure she could hold up. She knew Erik wouldn't hide what had happened between them. She was pretty sure he was planning on bringing it up himself.

"That is where we will start"

Sookie sat in the car as she waited for Erik. Her mouth pursed in a frown as she realized how often she had found herself in that position in the last couple of nights. Her hand went to passenger seat door as she decided to go after him when he opened his door and got in beside her. He had been too quick for her eyes.

She moved her hand guiltily, knowing that it was too late to hide her intentions.

"Planning on going somewhere?" he asked nonchalantly as he turned the key in the ignition. She didn't answer. She had basically given him her life, but that didn't mean she was going to jump at his every word. "Pouting" It was a statement, and it made Sookie burn in anger. She knew that he could anticipate all of her reactions, and this was all a part of her 'training'.

She clenched her hands into fists, but didn't allow herself to ask Erik anything.

It was the longest five minutes of Sookie's life, but she managed not to crack. She waited silently in her seat until Erik volunteered some information. The pleased smile on his face taunted her but she listened carefully anyway.

"To the human eye, it would appear that Bill had never returned" Erik began. "But I know that he came back long enough to get something and then left"

"How can you know that?" Sookie demanded.

"I've known Bill for many years. And there is only one thing that he would never leave behind. I searched the house thoroughly but couldn't find it"

"What was it?"

Erik glanced at her, his smile gone. "An old locket that his wife owned"

Sookie took in the news easily. She knew that Bill still grieved for his long-dead family, and wasn't surprised that he had kept a token of his wife all these years. She didn't feel even the slightest bit of jealousy and met Erik eyes with question.

"I believe that he wants people to think he died in that fire" Erik continued. "So he left everything else behind"

"That doesn't make any sense" Sookie shook her head. "Everyone would know when he came to get me"

Erik turned to look at her as he drove, not slowing the car. She met his gaze without fear for their safety, unconsciously trusting him. The obvious answer she found there was like a punch to the face. Bill hadn't planned to come and get her. He probably hadn't planned to tell her he was still alive.

"No!" it was a choked out whisper, holding all of her heartache inside of it. Erik held her eyes stoically before he turned back to the road. Left without his eyes to mesmerize her, she felt her head bow into her hands as she wept.

"He most likely believed it would be better for you"

"Better?" she spat out venomously, her pain turning to rage in an instant. "How can losing the man I loved be better?"

"There is a murderer targeting women who associate with vampires" Erik answered calmly.

"And leavin' me unprotected is a really big help" she snarked sarcastically.

"Bill wouldn't have left you if he thought you would still be in danger afterwards" Erik stated firmly. He cut off any more of her comments with a searing look. "He obviously underestimated your tenacity" She knew he was referring to the deal she made with him.

Sookie sniffled back her tears and looked out into the night. She had never been afraid of the darkness, but the sudden awareness came to her that it would soon be the only sky she would see. Once Erik changed her, she would never see the sun again. Tears squeezed from her closed lids and mingled with the ones she had cried over Bill.

"Before I met Bill I didn't really know what it meant to be happy" she said flatly, not noticing how dead her voice sounded. "Even then I was treated like a freak, never really belongin'. Couldn't let a man touch me without hearin' their dirty thoughts, couldn't make it through a day without a weird look" Erik was quiet during her entire speech and she opened her eyes to look at him again. His jaw was clenched as he stared out the windshield. "So why do I wish I had never met him?" she whispered brokenly.

He didn't answer and she hadn't expected him to. In the past two days they had gotten close in a physical sense but she knew that he cared little more for her then someone cares for a pet. Maybe after a hundred years he would really care about her like he did for Pam. It took time to earn respect. And time was something she was gonna have a lot of.

"Do you still want to find him?" Erik asked finally.

"Do I have a choice?" she answered bitterly. She had gotten the feeling that Erik wanted Bill to know that she belonged to him now. She doubted that anything had changed simply because Bill might not care anymore.

"Yes" Erik answered simply. "If I don't need worry about him showing up to claim you before you've been changed, then I don't need to worry." He explained easily. "But, if you want to talk to him, I will find him for you"

"Why?"

"It may help you move on to hear it from his own lips that he was leaving you" he answered without a blink. Sookie couldn't help but flinch at the lash of pain his words inflicted.

"I would rather not see him again" she said softly, clinging to a blessed numbness that began to overtake her. How embarrassing would it be for Bill to know what she had done? She had sold herself to know if he was dead or not, and he had simply been deserting her. A sudden thought assaulted her. He was bound to find out sooner or later; the vampire world was a small one, and news travelled fast. "Erik?!"

"What is it?"

"Did you tell anyone about our deal?"

"Do you think that you can find a way out of it? Because you ca..."

Sookie interrupted with a harsh cutting gesture of the hand. "Did you tell anyone?"

"Not even Pam" he answered, giving her a strange look as she sighed in relief. "Why?"

"I don't want him to know" she answered honestly, knowing that only the truth had a chance to convince Erik. "I don't want him to know that I'm with you because of him, because I thought he was dead"

"You want to spare him the guilt?" Erik asked coldly.

"No" she answered in a vehement tone. "The only thing I want to spare him is the satisfaction"

"If you change your mind it would leave me open for embarrassment" Erik shook his head, his answer apparent.

"I swear to you that I will never tell anyone" Sookie insisted desperately. "Everyone will think that after you helped find out the truth about Bill, I gave in to my attraction for you" she continued quickly, not wanting to give him the chance to say no. "And that with everyone already hatin' me back home I went with you willingly when you offered to change me"

"And that is supposed to be believable?" Erik returned with a quirked brow.

"What is so unbelievable about you takin' advantage of an emotional woman?" she challenged harshly. Erik simply stared at her for a moment, leaving her to wonder what he was thinking. She hoped he would go for her idea. The only thing she had left to cling to was her pride.

"You would have to play the role convincingly" Erik said easily a smile crossing his granite face. "Hold on to me in desperation as if I was the only one that could stop your pain, while still looking panicked at what's going to happen to you"

"I can do it"

"Your test is right now" he answered with a smile as he pulled up to the bar. She hadn't even realized how far they had driven, and she was surprised to find herself back where she started.

He got out of the car and came quickly around to open her door for her. Pulling her from her seat and into his arms he kissed her like he had spent the whole car ride anticipating it. Sookie threw herself into it passionately, knowing that if it didn't look real he wouldn't give her what she wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Erik held Sookie close to him as he reveled in her passionate response. He could feel when it stopped being about the test and started being about him. He wanted to drag her back to his office and take her on his desk. And he couldn't think of any reason not to.

"Sookie" he whispered as he started to lift her into his arms. But she shifted to stop him and he looked down into her eyes questioningly.

"I don't think that will make a good first impression" she breathed out shakily.

Erik chuckled lightly. She had been distant since leaving her house, and he was glad to bring things back to where they were beforehand. It was too much to ask for her to be totally comfortable with him, but he wanted her to accept what was going to happen.

He circled her waist with his arm and they moved to the front door together. Pam wasn't watching the door tonight, she rarely did. The biker look-a-like was the regular, even though he wasn't a vampire. Erik preferred keeping most of the staff human so that there wouldn't be any question of who was in charge. Not that there were any vampires in the area that could seriously challenge him. But other than Pam and Longshadow, he didn't trust any others to be partners in his business.

Erik walked by him without a second glance, though he noticed Sookie looking back. She pressed slightly closer as they entered into the crowded bar and he could hear her heart speed up. The nerves fit in with the role she wanted to play, but he was sure it wasn't an act.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you" he whispered into her hair, regretting her fear.

"I know" she whispered back to him. She tilted her head up and kissed him lightly in gratitude. Erik felt her warmth against his lips and smiled down at her gently. He had never liked sweetness in a woman, but Sookie seemed to be the exception in a lot of things.

"Erik!"

And as suddenly as that, Pam was there. She glided up from the bar with a surprised, but pleased smile on her face. He shared a look with Pam that spoke volumes and smiled. "It seems like we no longer have to worry about sharing" he said easily as he stroked a hand down Sookie's bare arm. Pam's answering smile turned greedily onto Sookie and Erik could hear Sookie's heart race. He wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement and his smile dimmed. He had suddenly realized that he hadn't spoken to Sookie about her future relationship with Pam. He had no idea what her reaction to the other vampire's attraction would be. "Go easy" he ordered harshly as he saw Pam move to touch Sookie's tanned skin.

"Sookie" Pam purred out, ignoring Erik's warning and running a finger over the frightened woman's collarbone. "I've always wondered if your skin was as soft as it looked".

"And?" Sookie asked shakily. Erik could feel her square her shoulders and pride rushed through him. She was obviously uncomfortable but wasn't going to disappoint him.

"Even softer" was Pam's whispered answer. Her hand moved more firmly over Sookie, trailing down to the low neckline of her sundress and across to her arms. As Pam's hand just edged around Sookie's breast to her arm on her way to her hand, Erik could feel a tremor move through Sookie's body. He would have thought it was fear if not for the faint smell of arousal that she was also emitting. Pam smirked up at him in triumph as she captured Sookie's hand and pulled her away from him. He let her go but followed with his eyes.

Sookie didn't even glance back and he felt his stomach clench with a mixture of jealousy and arousal. He had fantasized about the two women together since he had laid eyes on Sookie just a week before, but now that it was happening he just wanted to grab Sookie and keep her all to himself. Following leisurely, he sat in his usual chair and ignored everyone but the two next to him. Pam brought Sookie to her usual chair and now had her sitting on her lap. Since the two were near the same height it almost seemed ridiculous, but everyone watching (and most in the bar were) knew Pam's strength and it became erotic.

"Erik...?" Sookie began shakily, not understanding how she had gotten herself into this. She was sitting in Pam's lap being pet like a cat. The only thing more confusing was how enjoyable it was. It was comforting and sexual all at the same time and Sookie found herself relaxing into her arms.

"You don't need to worry about anything honey" Pam purred out seductively. Sookie felt herself melt from the inside out and wondered if she had been wrong about the whole glamour thing. But if the was what glamouring felt like, than she liked it.

The bar was closing and Sookie felt like a bundle of nerves. She had spent the whole night being lightly stroked until it felt like she would explode at any minute. Pam never touched her anywhere inappropriate and even kept up conversation with some of the patrons in the bar. Sookie knew that she was probably the target of a lot of jealous thoughts but because of her constant contact with Pam's cool skin she was oblivious to it all. There were only two thoughts that circled around Sookie's head that night: when was Pam going to stop teasing her and was Erik going to watch.

She didn't think that she had ever been more horny in her life and she knew that if something didn't happen soon than she would have to wait for the sun to set again. What she wasn't sure of is if Erik would be angry is she jumped him as soon as Longshadow was gone. If she could wait that long.

"Come Sookie" Erik said, his voice heavy with lust. She met his eyes eagerly and felt her body hum with anticipation. Thank god she wasn't going to have to wait.

"Erik!" Pam's voice snapped out sharply. His eyes sliced over to her angrily. Sookie felt herself freeze in panic. She had never seen him like that, and was suddenly more afraid then she had ever been in her life. He may have promised her that he wouldn't let her be hurt, but what about Pam? Sookie thought it might have something to do with the way the other vampire had fondled her all night, but she didn't want anything to happen to her.

Swallowing her fear, Sookie moved back until she was next to Pam and made her arms circle her waist. She tried to make the move as seductive as possible but was afraid that it came off more as terrified than anything else. But when Erik's eyes burned into her she only held on tighter. She felt rather than heard Pam's laughter and looked up in shock.

"So sweet" Pam whispered down to her with something mysterious in her eyes. Then she looked up to meet Erik's glare with her own. "I want her" she demanded, making Sookie gasp. She had never thought of herself as a lesbian or bisexual or anything, but the thrill of Pam's words had her blood heating again.

"She's mine!" Erik hissed. Sookie looked over at him in surprise. She thought she saw jealousy in his eyes but shook the thought away. Going with an instinct that she had never known herself to have she allowed one of her arms to move from Pam's waist up her body until she was cupping her left breast in her hand. Entranced by the feeling she ran her thumb over the now distended nipple and looked over to Erik.

"I thought you said we didn't have to worry about sharing" she said easily, feeling like the most attractive woman in the world. It must have something to do with the two vampires fighting over her, but she knew what she wanted and knew Erik would give it to her. "Please" she whispered as her fingers caught Pam's nipple and tweaked it until the woman's breath hissed out in pleasure and surprise.

"Can I watch?" came the amused laugh from the bar. Sookie had forgotten that Longshadow was still there and felt her face heat with embarrassment. She felt a moment of panic from not knowing what Erik's answer would be.

"Not tonight" he said as he moved forward and scooped Sookie into his arms. She gasped more from his answer than from his actions. She was beginning to get used to him carrying her around everywhere. He moved faster than she could blink and they were suddenly in a back room with a huge bed. There were black satin sheets and Sookie giggled as Erik laid her down on them.

"Seriously?" she asked with a crooked smile.

He answered with one of his own."The humans who usually come in here seem to expect it"

"Don't worry, their clean" Pam said wryly from the doorway. She moved through sinuously and closed the door behind her. Without hesitation she began to strip off her clothes. Sookie's eyes widened and she whipped her eyes up to Erik's burning gaze.

"The next time will be in my bed where the sheets are cotton" he whispered reassuringly. All the anger from before was gone and all she saw there was desire. The heat of it burned away all her embarrassment and she reached up to pull at his shirt. He flashed the smile she was beginning to love at her and moved away to strip down to his skin.

Glancing at Pam Sookie could see that she was as naked as Erik, and as beautiful. She had high firm breasts and a svelte body with ivory skin gleaming in the light. Her nipples were cherry red and pinched with arousal. Her lustrous hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back. With the two God-like creatures before her she felt a sudden bolt of shyness. How could she possibly compare to either of them?

"Your turn" Pam said directly, not wasting time to move forward and clasp Sookie's ankles in her strong hands. Sookie gasped as she felt the smooth fingers move up to her knees and then pass the hem of her dress to her thighs. The material bunched at Pam's arms as she moved even further to where her panties met the apex of her thighs. Her hips lifted in shocked pleasure at the feeling of Pam's fingers sliding under the elastic and rubbing gently over her clit.

"Oh God....!" Sookie cried as her hands tried to grip the slippery material on the bed. She felt her hips move to follow Pam's finger and moaned with anticipation. But the sound of her dress being ripped open had her eyes widen with panic. She looked down at her body to see her body bared straight down the middle. Pam had torn her mother's dress ruthlessly and Sookie could see her pale hand contrast with the tanned flesh of her stomach as her hand moved slowly to her breast. Sookie didn't have any time to be sad about her only memento being destroyed before she was ruthlessly lashed with the pleasure of Pam's hands on her breast.

Then the statuesque blonde followed the movement of her hand with her body and rubbed all along Sookie, her mouth branding a burning trail of lust up until her mouth latched onto Sookie's nipple. Her hands left the sheets as she cradled Pam's head to her breast, whimpers leaving her throat. Then Pam's head lifted with a moan of pleasure and Sookie looked into her lust-clouded eyes. Looking beyond she saw what had affected Pam; Erik had come behind her and was now thrusting slowly into Pam's channel. His eyes met Sookie's and her breath caught on the erotic scene. But Pam was once again nipping at her breast and she moaned with her own pleasure. "Pam" she moaned as she writhed against the cool body pressed against hers. Her motions kept tempo with Erik's thrusts and she wrapped her legs around Pam's waist. Erik's hands left Pam's body and moved to Sookie's waist. He lifted her at just the right moment and ground her against Pam's pubic bone in just the right way to have her crying out. She could feel Pam's moan vibrate against her breast and shuddered.

Gripping Pam's head more firmly she lifted her so that their lips could meet. Sookie didn't think about the implications of her first girl-on-girl kiss, or if this meant she was a lesbian or not. All she thought about was the pleasure. She was still kissing Pam when she felt the orgasm move through her. She didn't hesitate at the feeling of her fangs, but used her hands and body to keep Pam at the crest for as long as possible.

But when the vampire's body finally went limp with the pleasure she was pushed over to fall on her side on the bed. Erik took her position over Sookie's body and entered her smoothly. It was still a tight fit but she was more than ready. Her hips pistoned onto Erik's cock as he moved with his supernatural speed and had her keening out in pleasure.

"Sookie" he growled at her as he found his own climax. She opened her eyes lethargically as he braced his body over hers, not removing his penis from her body, but rocking back and forth until he was hard again. His eyes hadn't lost their intensity and as his hands moved over her entire body he kept her eyes captive with his own. As his hands finally settled on her breasts his lips pulled back to show his distended fangs. Sookie knew that with vampires one passion often stirred another and she tilted her neck as an offering to him. His eyes flashed at her and she knew a moment of fear before his mouth descended. The pain of his bite mixed with the pleasure his cock was giving her as he continued to thrust. She groaned as she felt him drain her blood hungrily. But the hazy feeling of pleasure was soon replaced by weakness.

He was taking more than Bill ever had and she was beginning to get anxious. "Erik" she whimpered, pushing at his shoulder. He didn't stop. His hips circled in a way that had her climaxing finally and she felt him come again too. She went completely limp, but he still didn't stop drinking. "Please..." she whispered weakly as she felt herself lose consciousness. She dimly noticed Pam moving to intercept but didn't have the energy to react when Erik flung her into the wall across the room. She was looking up into his face as he snarled at Pam.

He had blood running from his mouth and his fangs gleamed. His eyes were burning with murder and possessiveness. The last thing she remembered was his harsh words.

"She's mine!"


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Sookie could hear the buzz of thoughts circling the bar as she sat next to Erik. He stroked a hand through her hair and she knew he was feeling content. She couldn't stop herself from pressing her head into the pressure of his hand like a kitten being pet. His pleasure at her gesture merged with her own and she smiled easily out at the crowd of people.

"Sookie" Erik chided softly. "You're frightening the patrons again"

Sharing his amusement, Sookie laughed and found herself enjoying the nervous looks that people were shooting at her fangs. "They come here to be frightened" she demurred sweetly, leaning over to kiss him roughly. She pulled away to smirk at him. The spark of arousal was sharp and violent and Sookie reveled in it. But before she could pull further away Erik tightened his fist in her hair and pulled her mouth back to his. She found herself straddling his hips and grinding herself onto the stiff bulge in his pants. His pleasure from her movements was only amplified by the now captive audience and Sookie smirked at knowing his exhibitionist tendencies. "We can give them a real show if you want" she purred. But she could feel his regret before he pushed her back.

And he wasn't the only one in the room that felt regret. Sookie turned to smile invitingly to one fang banger who had been staring at the hem of her dress in case he had been able to see panties. She appreciated his imagination as to what kind it would be as well as color. She got up and moved over to where he was standing. She felt Erik's eyes on her back as she stopped in front of the man. He looked to be in his early twenties and was cute in a Goth way. She bared her fangs in a smile as he swallowed nervously. His thoughts had just gone completely blank.

"I thought you might want to know that I'm not wearin' any panties" she told him straightforwardly. She giggled as she moved back to her position next to Erik. He was frowning at her and she reached out to take his hand. He let her, but she sensed his disappointment. He was afraid that their situation here was becoming more of a nest than a bar. If she kept up like this he would have to start getting strict.

Sookie frowned as she pulled her hand away from him. She hadn't had anything but True Blood since being turned and she wasn't being aggressive towards any of the humans so she didn't understand why he was being so judgmental. She had seen him act much worse.

"What do you mean you're gonna get strict with me?" she asked, trying to keep the pout off of her mouth. She didn't want to act like the spoiled brat he seemed to think she was becoming. "I was just havin' fun"

"You have been doing that often lately" Erik said with the frown still on his face. Sookie tried to touch him again but he motioned her away. "You are young and doing well, but I can't encourage your lack of discretion. Your maturity must grow, not stagnate" As he spoke he turned his head from her and began to talk with another vampire. Sookie didn't need to touch him to understand that he meant it as a rebuff and she took it as one. Sitting again in her chair next to his she listened quietly to his conversation. She felt the urge to throw a tantrum but suppressed it with little effort. She knew he was right. Just because she seemed to have started leaps and bounds ahead of other new vampires didn't mean she could stand still in her progress. The faster she learned self-control the faster she could become independent.

An independent vampire could come and go as she pleased. She could visit who she wanted to and she could wear what she wanted to wear. She was getting tired of the standard black leather that Erik insisted she wear at the club, let alone the club itself. She knew that he considered it his home away from home, but she was already bored of the same people night after night with the same pathetic thoughts. Especially since Erik got angry every time she tried to have any fun.

She tried not to think of the years she would have to stay here before Erik thought she was ready.

Sookie's head came up quickly and she rose gracefully from her seat. Her eyes went to the door and to the couple that were standing there nervously. She looked back to Erik for permission and moved quickly to meet them when he nodded his assent.

"Tara, Sam" she said with a smile. The way that Tara jumped had her smile faltering, "Sorry. I know how annoyin' that can be sometimes" she apologized. A quick scan of their thoughts had her working to retract her fangs and smiling again, this time trying to remember how to act human. "You guys should come on to the bar and I'll get you both a drink"

They both stuck together and sat on the stools she held aside for them. She signaled to Chow, the newest partner in Erik and Pam's bar, and he came over to take their order. He had been chosen to replace Longshadow after Sookie had discovered the old bartender had been stealing from the bar. Erik had killed Longshadow without hesitation and Sookie can still remember the thrill it had given her. She shook away the thought as she tried to focus on making her old friends more comfortable.

"How've things been?" she asked politely, ignoring the way Tara's blood was pounding in her jugular. "The bar's still doin' good business?"

"Everything's been fine" Sam said with a tight smile, moving closer to Tara in a protective manner. Sookie looked closer at the woman who used to be her best friend and met her eyes. She was so nervous, wishing that she hadn't talked Sam into bringing her here. Wishing that Sookie was still human.

"It's all right Tara" Sookie said gently, slowly putting her hand over Tara's to console. The tension slowly left Tara's body and she looked deeply into Sookie's eyes. "I'm not gonna hurt you" Sookie continued, wanting nothing more in that moment then for her old friend to believe her.

"You're not gonna hurt me" Tara repeated in a strange tone her eyes still on Sookie.

"You trust me" Sookie continued.

"I trust you" Tara aped.

"That's enough!" Sam intercepted angrily, moving in between Tara and herself. The entire bar went silent and the focus was on the foolish man who had yelled at the young vampire. Erik was by her side in a split second and she looked over to him in confusion. Reaching out to take his hand, she suddenly understood. Flinching back in horror she looked at Sam in apology and shame.

"I didn't realize" she murmured. The softening in her old boss' face was imperceptible for any but vampire. He moved back enough to wrap his arm around Tara's waist and pull her up from her seat. Moving lethargically and looking up at him with confusion, Tara didn't understand.

"I'm so sorry Tara" Sookie said, lowering her eyes to the floor. "I never glamoured anyone before...and I...I'm sorry" she finished lamely. The shocked horror was slow to break through the fog in Tara's mind, but Sookie knew when it was there and felt it like a lash against her skin.

"You should leave" Erik said in his commanding voice. It seemed as if the crowd parted in a practiced dance to leave a space for them to the door. Sam took one furtive look at Sookie and helped Tara from her stool. They were only a few steps away from them when he continued "Don't come back"

Sookie felt the despair mix with the relief in Tara and closed her eyes against the pain. She had come more for some odd sense of obligation then a true desire to see Sookie. And now that Erik had forbidden it, she could go home and tell herself that she had tried her best. She could live the rest of her life without ever seeing Sookie again, and be guilt-free.

"Come back and it'll be an invitation" Sookie said in a harsh growl. Tara's head shot up in panic, but Sookie was already moving back to her seat and didn't look back. She might as well give Tara a good excuse to stay away. The girl had enough guilt issues over her mother and didn't need Sookie to add any to it.

The bar was slow to return to its normal sound level, but Sookie didn't care. The crowd was always happy to see a show and this one would last as a story for a couple of weeks at least. When Erik sat down next to her she didn't look up, simply sat motionless in her chair. She stared out at the crowd without seeing as her mind filtered through all her memories with Tara through her whole life. But when Erik moved to touch her head, Sookie moved away. It wasn't enough to be considered a rebuff, and wasn't noticeable to anyone but him; which was why he could settle his hand back on his chair and not touch her.

Sookie had enough of her own thoughts and memories to deal with without adding Erik's to the mix.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

When the bar had been closed for an hour, Sookie was pacing back and forth in Eric's office. He was looking over a few things before they left for the night and she felt edgy. There was still four hours left of night and she wanted to be out in it; running, hunting. She had never tasted human blood, but on nights like these she wanted to. Which was why she was on edge.

Since she had understood Eric's intentions for her she had promised herself that she would be like Bill. She would survive on true blood. She just hadn't known how hard it would be. Eric told her that her self control would grow with time, but she wondered. It seemed like she wanted it more every night that passed. And other than his reassurances of it getting easier, Eric wasn't helping much.

He continued to live his life the same way, which included human blood. And she knew that if she asked he would share. He never purposely tempted her, but she always knew that she was one choice away from getting what every fiber in her body was screaming for.

But that wasn't what was bothering her. It was almost as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She just didn't know what shoe.

"Sookie"

She turned to look over at Eric as he stood at the doorway. He had changed into a tight white t-shirt to replace the black she was quickly growing tired of. Whenever they were in the club, which was often, they wore their 'costumes'. And Sookie's one demand is that once work hours were over the black went with it. A part of that was just the sight of Eric in lighter colors. It tended to accentuate his muscles even more. She had been trying to talk him into wearing no shirt at all...but he was fighting her on that one.

"You are upset" It was a statement. Sometimes Sookie thought he could read her mind he interpreted her emotions so well. "Is it your friends?"

Sookie frowned and looked away. "They'll be happier together now then if I was still at home" she said flatly. "When I was...human, Sam was a little stuck on me"

"Do you miss that?"

"No" Sookie laughed, turning again to see his smile. "I'm happy that he's takin' care of Tara now"

"But there _is_ a problem" Eric said, disregarding her laugh. Sookie let the smile drop from her face and sighed, a human habit she hadn't broken yet. "What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know" she answered truthfully. "It just feels like I'm waiting for something bad to happen"

"Something bad?" Eric said in confusion. "Why would you think that?"

"That just seems like the trend lately" she laughed bitterly. "Whenever things start lookin' good, something ruins it"

"That was before" Eric said with a relieved smile. "Vampires generally live a very settled and routine existence". Sookie couldn't help but laugh at the straight face he managed to hold on to while laying that whopper on her. But Eric only smiled. "I thought you had already noticed. You seemed to be growing bored even"

"Not bored, restless" she corrected. "Sitting here night after night at the bar is driving me crazy. I feel like running as fast and as far from here as I can".

"No running" Eric was deadly serious now and glaring into her eyes furiously to make his point.

She sighed again. "I knew you wouldn't wanna run" she turned away before she could see the dawning awareness in her eyes. "Otherwise I'd have dragged you halfway cross country by now".

"Nothing will hurt you here" Eric murmured softly as he took her into his arms. Sookie hummed her appreciation as she snuggled into his chest. The definitions of his muscles were easily felt through both of their clothes and she wriggled against him.

"I know" she whispered. She pressed her open mouth against his neck and dragged her teeth across the hard skin. They were sharp enough to break the skin and he grunted. She licked the wound and watched as it healed over.

"You're not afraid anymore?" Eric asked, pulling her away to look again into her eyes. She noticed a strange emotion behind his eyes and opened herself to read his mind. She didn't pick up anything. A frown marring her face she realized that Eric was blocking her out. He did that only rarely, but she never liked it. She figured he was doing it so that she wouldn't tell him what she thought he wanted.

"Not afraid" she agreed.

It was his turn to sigh and she smiled at the action. "Restless?" he demanded.

"Eric" she whined, rubbing her body against his eagerly. "Can we talk about it later?"

"No Sookie" he refused with a regretful look. "We will talk about it now. Are you still restless?"

She thought about trying to distract him again, but rejected the idea. Eric wasn't easily distracted. Pulling away she nodded once and looked away.

"What can I do?"

"I'm not sure. Everything just seems like it's up in the air right now" she tried to explain. "With Pam gone and...It just feels like I'm waitin' for a big showdown or somethin'".

"Pam will return when she is ready to accept the situation" Eric said icily, releasing Sookie to go sit at his desk. This was an old argument and she knew all his reasons. Pushing him wouldn't get her anywhere. "And when she does return it will not be to fight. I am her maker and she obeys my command" Eric cut his eyes up to look suspiciously at Sookie. "But that isn't the showdown you're thinking of, is it?"

"I just think that everything is a little unsettled right now and..."

"Bill" It was hissed out between Eric's teeth and Sookie couldn't hold back a flinch from hearing his name. "He's the one you're waiting for"

"No!" Sookie denied vehemently. "Dreading; Bill is the one I'm dreading"

She looked at Eric and could see him considering her words, weighing the truth of them. She wasn't sure what he would decide. She wasn't sure what she thought anymore. This 'dreading Bill' thing hadn't been in her mind until Eric said his name. But now she couldn't help but think that he was the other shoe.

"Your anticipation of his reaction is most likely worse than the actual event" Eric said distractedly, more talking aloud then to her. "The longer it takes to happen the more 'restless' you will become"

"What are you thinking?" she asked uneasily, not trusting the speculative look in his eyes.

"The sooner Bill Compton comes back for a visit the better" he said with his evil smirk on his face. Sookie felt a chill of excitement and knew that if she was still human it would have been a chill of fear.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Sookie felt sick, a first with her vampire body. She hadn't realized that tension manifested itself the same with vamps as it did with humans.

It was not a pleasant discovery.

It would be any night now; Bill would walk through the doors of Fangtasia and see the new her. Eric had made a few calls right after their conversation a few nights ago and with barely any work at all had found where Bill was staying. He hadn't told Sookie where; which she figured was a bad sign. But considering that Bill was coming home to find Sookie as the vampire lover of his former-sheriff… she wasn't exactly one to complain. She hadn't waited more than a night after Bill had left to run into Eric's arms. And it was easy to believe that she had never really loved him at all.

She was counting on Bill believing it.

She had begged Eric not to let anyone know about their deal, about her stupidity. All she had to do was act like she went to him for comfort, and not for help. So far it had been easy to pull off. Eric was incredibly sexy, funny, and patient. The only snag was that he liked drinking human blood. And that he wasn't Bill.

Sookie sighed and looked around the room without seeing the tourists. She usually had fun observing their actions, and their thoughts. But tonight she was just tuning them out.

Since Eric had turned her, control over her little 'gift' was a lot easier. If she concentrated she could even turn it off all together. She was doing that now, not wanting the intrusion on her worried thoughts. Eric was back in his office working on the paperwork that it took to run a place like this. Sookie had decided to stay out on the floor without him so they wouldn't have to stay too long tonight after he was finished.

The only reason that people came to a vampire bar was to see vampires. Eric, knowing that his business depended on it, made sure that the vampires of his district made a showing at least once a week. And he was out there for a few hours every night as well. But since Sookie was a vampire now, and enough of a regular to be recognized, she would be enough to keep the gawkers happy. She was wearing a low cut black dress, a variation of the same dress she wore every night. The only touches she was allowed to make of her own was the small hint of bra that showed.

Tonight it was yellow.

Her hair was done in a long pleat that she had thrown over her shoulder and was laying on her right breast. She didn't wear make-up, her features brightened by the vampire blood that kept her 'alive'. The only other thing that she wore were killer stilettos that made her already gorgeous legs become mouth-watering. She always wore shoes like that now. A life-time as a waitress had given her a strong appreciation of comfortable shoes, along with a craving for sexier apparel for her feet. Now that she was feeling no pain, she didn't plan to wear another sneaker in her entire…existence.

"This place sucks"

It was whispered across the room by a college student who had come here with a bunch of his friends looking for action. Sookie's attention was caught and she knew that the failing was her own. Sitting like a lump, moping, was not giving the gawkers a show. And that was what the kid wanted; a show.

Abruptly angry at everyone in the room for treating her like a circus freak, Sookie ran across the room to stand next to the attractive young man. And with her running she got there fast. Instantaneous. The entire bar stilled with the sudden tension and the kid jumped with a squeak of fear. Sookie smiled, her teeth flashing out at him with menace.

"Yes it does" she told him sweetly. His blank stare accompanied another squeak, this one higher pitched. "It does suck" Sookie clarified, reaching out to stroke his neck softly. She could feel the tremor move through him and opened herself to read his thoughts. He was excited, but so scared that he thought he might puke. His friends on the other hand wished he hadn't opened his big mouth.

Sookie laughed easily and walked in a slower speed back to her chair. She made sure to move her curves as seductively as she could and knew from the high level of arousal that suddenly permeated the place that she succeeded. The bar would keep its reputation for the rest of the night at least.

"Sookie" Eric said from the hallway that led to his office. She looked over into his amused gaze. His smile was all pleasure and she felt it warm her cold insides. His approval had become her sun in the endless night that was her life now. And because he was always generous with it she was happy.

She was happy.

Zipping over to where Eric was standing she disregarded the stares and gave him a robust kiss. Eric went all in, like usual and she was humming nicely with passion when she pulled away. She smiled contentedly up into his now familiar blue eyes. "You make me happy" she whispered for his ears only. Even Chow at the bar couldn't hear her words.

"I'm glad" he whispered back, his eyes burning with emotion.

Sookie lifted a brow. "And do I make you happy?" she asked tartly, her voice not so low.

"You tell me" he laughed back, kissing her deeply. His emotions flowed through her and she was flooded with deep and passionate feelings. Some of it was dark, but there was also a splash of bright happy mixed in. "Is that what happy is?"

Sookie beamed up at him, unaware that her fangs were showing. Eric beamed back and his were too.

"Ugh!" Chow grunted in disgust as he took in the romantic scene a few feet away from him. "Unnatural" he muttered, claiming Sookie's attention. She turned inquiring eyes to him, but Eric clamped down on her hand and pulled her back into his office before she could voice her question.

"What was that all about?" she asked Eric as he closed the door and turned back towards her. Eric just shook his head and started pulling her dress down her body. It was tight and strapless, but he peeled it off her like it was a second skin. Sookie no longer cared what Chow's problem was.

It was fast this time. No extended foreplay and no unnecessary movements. Eric simply lifted her into his arms and pushed his large tool into her waiting body. She moaned with the pleasure, wondering if it would always feel that good.

Her legs wrapped around his waist and she clamped them tight, using her strong thigh muscles to help work her body up and down. Eric trailed his big hands down to her firm cheeks and took control of the speed. He pumped her onto his cock with speed and strength that would have torn a human apart, but only had Sookie's eyes rolling behind her head in pleasure.

Seconds after the last spasm of her orgasm Eric tensed and joined her.

They were in the middle of the room with Sookie naked in his arms and Eric, fully clothed except his fly, was still inside her.

That was when Bill walked into Fangtasia.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Sookie's head snapped up and she tensed in a way only a vampire could. Eric stilled too, looking down at her in worry. He knew Sookie and her ability; He wasn't about to ignore any warning she might have of trouble.

She had kept her mind open while he had fucked her; liking the hum of the crowds thoughts as they wondered what the two blond vampires were up to. It added an almost exhibitionist spice to their already hot sex. So she knew when the crowd saw Bill, and she could almost see him herself, through so many minds.

Paralyzing fear kept her from moving for what seemed an eternity, but it was only seconds after that Eric set her on her feet and moved toward the door. She could hear the distinctive sound of his fly being zipped up and she wondered if Bill heard it all the way from the bar.

She hoped not.

Eric paused at the door until he heard Sookie grab her dress then he slipped out quietly. He walked as slow as a human to the bar and easily spotted Bill at a booth. He sat across from him.

-----

"Am I interrupting something?" Bill asked sardonically, lifting a brow at Eric's disheveled hair. He had also heard a zipper from the office and wondered what fang banger Eric had back there. Eric just smiled and settled into the corner of the booth. Bill waited a beat, confused by the silence. He had been summoned by the sheriff and was under the impression that it had been an emergency. "Are we waiting for Pam…?"

"No" Eric answered curtly, still sore on the topic. "Pam has left"

"Left?" Bill asked in surprise. "For how long?"

"Until she is ready to follow the rules"

Bill opened his mouth to comment on the fact that as her maker Eric could simply command Pam, when his attention was caught. Sookie was gliding out of Eric's office, her hair mussed and dress wrinkled. Bill's mind quickly made the connection between her and Eric and his fist clenched with rage. He held on to his temper, but only just.

When he had left Bon Temps he hadn't considered that Sookie would move on so quickly; and certainly not to Eric. She had only met him once at Fangtasia and Bill would have said that she had feared him, not been attracted. But he knew she couldn't be glamoured, no matter how much Eric wanted her, so she was here by choice.

"Sookie"

He breathed her name, not aware of the longing in his voice or the starved look he was giving her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered, if that was possible. He noted the dress in disapproval but appreciated the view of pale skin it showed.

Pale skin? The Sookie he remembered loved the sun and always had a tan. Had Eric already convinced her it was better to share the night with him. Bill frowned at the idea and moved his eyes to Eric. The bastard was smiling.

"Bastard!" he growled.

Eric laughed. "You haven't even gotten to the best part" he said with a grin settling on his Nordic features.

That was when Bill realized that he couldn't smell her.

The sweet tantalizing smell of her blood mixed with a hint of sunlight; it was a smell that could always intoxicate him. But it was gone. That was why he hadn't known right away that she was there. His eyes narrowed as he focused on her. Her skin wasn't just pale, it was flawless, and as he met her eyes he saw them glow.

He was moving before he thought about it and managed to get halfway to Sookie before Eric was throwing him away. He could hear the excited and panicked screams of the bar patrons as he bared his teeth at Eric. Before he could lunge at Eric's throat Sookie was there, standing in between them with a fierce scowl on her radiant face.

"Stop!" she hissed, her fangs distending slightly. Bill could almost feel his heart stop all over again as he froze in obedience.

She was magnificent.

Sookie had to stop herself from lunging at Bill. He was crouched right in front of her, less than a millisecond away. She could see his fangs and his intentions to kill Eric as clear as day. The shock and rage in his eyes was easy to read and a part of Sookie's heart healed from seeing it. But that didn't mean she was going to let him hurt Eric. Eric was her life now.

"Sookie is right" Eric's voice drawled easily from behind her. "This isn't the place"

She felt his hand on her shoulder and eased back to lean into him. His emotions poured into her and she almost purred. He was pleased with her reaction and proud of her speed. His arousal at her beauty and power was like cocaine rushing through her veins. She nearly forgot who was in front of them.

"So name the right place" Bill ground out rigidly. Sookie's eyes snapped back to him and she snarled. Eric calmed her with a thought, but her hands fisted and she stayed on edge.

"My office will be fine for our conversation" Eric smiled. If Sookie could have blushed she would have. She knew why Eric wanted to go to the office. The energy of sex was everywhere in there, and she didn't think she was the only one who could sense it.

"I am not looking for a conversation" Bill rasped out.

"But that is what you came for, isn't it?" Eric insisted cryptically. Sookie could feel the gap in his thoughts and knew he was hiding something from her intentionally. She figured it was about where Bill had been this whole time. It was something that Eric thought she was better off not knowing and seemed to fit with their weird exchange. She should probably let it go and trust Eric's judgment.

"Where have you been this whole time?" Sookie demanded hurriedly, realizing and accepting that there would be consequences. Eric's hand clenched on her shoulder painfully but she kept eye contact with Bill and didn't wince.

Bill didn't wince either. He met her gaze straight on and without a trace of guilt in his eyes. She remembered the brown color like it was her own and she felt the pull in her stomach that she had always felt with him in the past. The realization hit her that the reason Eric kept it a secret wasn't selfless. She wasn't going to like what she heard, and the consequences would be more than she planned.

"I was with my maker"


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 12

"Don't be petty" Erik told Bill as his laughter continued. Sookie looked up at Erik with pain clear in her eyes. Ever since she had realized the extent of her attraction to Erik she had been eaten by guilt and the knowledge that she was just as bad as all the other women who slept around Bons Temps. Time had faded the feeling, along with Erik's assurances. But now that Erik was reacting this way to Bill's attack it was all rushing back.

"He's right" Sookie choked out. She knew know that Bill hadn't wanted to leave her, and she was back at square one in thinking of herself as betraying the love she had shared with Bill.

"No Sookie, he isn't" Erik interrupted her self-pitying with an amused and slightly smug expression on his face. "The feelings you have for me are natural and would have occurred with or without Bill in your life".

"How can you be so sure?" she asked in confusion.

"Because I was the first man you slept with that hadn't gotten you in his thrall first" Erik explained easily. Bill's stutters of denial were cut off with Erik's searing look in his direction. The softness was gone from his face when he spoke to the other man. "You had given her your blood Compton"

Sookie looked over to Bill in time to see the dawning awareness enter his eyes. And then the annoyed guilt of a person who had been caught just when he had almost gotten away.

"He saved my life" Sookie said in confusion, not understanding the meaningful look that the two shared.

"And got you into his grip" Erik explained without looking away from Bill. "When a vampire gives its blood to a human in large enough doses it acts like an aphrodisiac and makes their blood burn for sex. It doesn't matter with who"

"I know that" Sookie mumbled. She could remember the time she had almost jumped Sam because she was so horny. Erik looked down at her and smiled in a way that had her toes curl.

"Do you know what happens when the initial heat burns off?" he asked softly.

Sookie glanced uneasily at Bill's stiff face. "The vampire can sense the human's feelings?" she offered as an answer. Bill had told her about that at least, but she had a sinking suspicion that it doesn't end there.

"Yes" Erik smiled in approval. "And the human yearns for the vampire for as long as she lives" Sookie's mouth dropped open in shock at the words. She felt the truth through where he touched her shoulder and the shock quickly turned to anger. Turning burning eyes to Bill's uncomfortable gaze she snarled.

"You bastard!"

She would have lunged for his throat but Erik held her firmly. She ignored his laughter this time and strained against his hold. She knew that as her maker, as well as elder, she had no chance of overpowering him but couldn't control herself.

"Sookie…I never meant…" Bill pleaded, his soulful eyes stabbing into her soul.

"STOP IT" she barked in anger. Knowing that her emotions concerning him were all a farce didn't stop her from feeling them but she refused to accept it. "You tried to glamour me the first time we met you bastard. Did you think I forgot?"

Bill winced and took a step back from her wrath.

"How convenient that the Rats nearly killed me and gave you the opportunity to…"Sookie froze as a new idea entered her head. "Unless it wasn't convenient at all"

She reached out and managed to touch Bill before Erik could stop her and her eyes widened with the thoughts that were swirling around in there. The surface ones were the ones she focused on and her nails made a huge gash in Bill's forearm as Erik pulled her away. His grunt of pain didn't satisfy her bloodlust nearly enough to suit her and she struggled to reach him again.

"Sookie!" Erik roared. She froze in place as his command got through to her.

"He glamoured them into attacking me!" she hissed. It was Erik's turn to have his mouth drop open as her words sank in. "The bastard set the whole thing up".

"You can't know that" Bill said with real fear in his eyes. Erik was between him and the door and if he decided to go for the kill then it would be over quickly, but not painlessly. "Not unless…"

"It seems you have found out our little secret Bill" Erik said in a cold voice as he moved slightly away from Sookie and faced Bill fully. There was only a second of regret on his face before he moved in for the kill. "Lorena is going to be upset with me".


	12. Chapter 12

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Now that I've finally finished moving everything onto my new account I can finally focus on moving forward on my fics. I hope you enjoy and that everyone found it ok.

CHAPTER 12

Sookie stared into the night, an ivory statue near the open doorway. She was still wearing the same black dress from the club but it was sticky now. And her blond strands of hair were sticky too…sticky and red with Bill's blood.

Erik had left her to have a shower but she still hadn't moved. After the fight they had worked with superhuman speed to clean the mess and Sookie knew that none of the human patrons knew what had happened in the office that night. She didn't think any would care anyway.

She had opened the door to air out the smell of bleach and had been caught looking out into the night. The harsh fluorescent light in the parking lot didn't stop her from looking further into the darkness. She knew that if someone passed by and saw all the blood covering Sookie that it would cause them a lot of problems. She knew that she should be following Erik's orders and cleaning up. But knowing and doing are two different things and she felt as if she was frozen.

Bill was dead.

Her first lover, first love. First taste of blood, of the life she had an eternity to live.

Having been the freak of Bon Temps for as long as she could remember had gotten Sookie used to the feeling of pain. Knowing exactly what people thought of you was a good way to either make you crazy or make you grow a thick skin. But with Bill she had allowed herself to lower her defenses.

Bill.

Sookie wondered at the pain she felt at thinking of him. Wasn't the pain supposed to lessen now? She was a desirable vampire with a handsome and influential maker. Only hours ago she had been reveling in her new-found feelings of happiness. Now it was all slipping from her fingers.

Everything had been a lie. A set-up from the first moment. She hadn't been able to see through Bill's lies and now she was paralyzed with panic.

What if Erik was lying too?

She could read his mind but it wasn't near enough when he knew how to block her from anything he wanted. From the first moment that he had held out his hand to her and helped her out of her grave he had been holding back. She hadn't noticed at first, because of the amount of information that WAS flowing from his skin to hers. She had seen herself through his eyes and it had gotten all her attention. She hadn't realized until that moment how starved she had been for acceptance. Even with Bill she hadn't been sure…but with Erik it had been wonderful. She tried to bring those feeling back to protect her from the doubts spiraling around her mind but it wouldn't work.

Pam's reaction to Erik changing her had been so extreme that Erik had sent her away before Sookie had woken up the next night as a vampire. Erik had told Sookie that Pam was just jealous, but Sookie wasn't sure anymore. And Chow's evident disgust with their cutesiness might be about something else entirely.

"Sookie" Erik's voice snapped harshly from the office doorway. Sookie turned to see that he was clean and had changed into a white t-shirt and jeans. His hair was still damp from his shower and it almost glittered under the lights. "I told you to clean up" he barked at her.

Sookie grabbed a hold of her long braid and held it up to her face. "I like the smell of his blood Erik" she purred. "It reminds me that he's dead". She stared straight into his eyes and saw the answering kindle of heat. "I'd rather not forget how you looked when you tore him apart"

"And how did I look?" he rasped as he muscles seemed to coil in anticipation.

"Like an animal" Sookie answered calmly, letting her fangs distend fully. "A powerful and sexy beast"

And like a flash he was there pulling her into his arms. Their mouths fused together and Sookie had a moment to be thankful she didn't need to breathe. His hands were everywhere on her skin and her dress was shredded in his hurry. Sookie tried to absorb his thoughts but came up completely blank. She took her frustration out on Erik's clothes and tore them almost completely from his body. She was aware of movement and then found herself laid out on Erik's desk and he ravished her body.

She usually liked to give as good as she got, but she hadn't been lying about how Erik had seemed to her as he had finished Bill off for good. She relished having the monster in him have his way with her. She needed it.

"Yes!" it was part moan and part scream as he thrust his hard cock inside of her roughly. Her legs were held awkwardly apart as he pounded into her, and she felt as if she was going to be torn into pieces.

"Sookie" Erik growled as he hammered her until the desk began to creak precariously. The way he said her name was the last piece that she needed to reach her peak and she clutched at him as her internal muscles milked him. He growled it again as he joined her in her orgasm.

As he relaxed over her she tried to link with him again but still got nothing. It was as if he had completely shut himself off from her. But what could be so centered in his mind that he couldn't trust himself to relax for even a moment? How would she get the truth if her best chance at getting him to relax hadn't worked?

Erik moved and dislodged his body from her, standing up straight and looking down at her naked body. His eyes lingered at the spots where Bill's blood was still stained. "Shower it off" he said icily. He turned and went to where he kept his clothes and began to dress again. Sookie got up and left the room to use the shower in the employee's area. She had gotten passed any human embarrassment at others seeing her body very soon into her turning and didn't think about it now. Her mind was occupied with Erik and the emotions she wished she could read from him.


	13. Chapter 13

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry about the long wait. I struggled over this chapter for so long that if I didn't post it right away I probably never would. Please feel free to criticize anything that doesn't seem to fit. I could really use the input. Thanks

CHAPTER 13

The next night was quiet at the bar. The regular crowd of tourists and fang bangers were around, but Sookie didn't pay them any attention. She could hear them buzz to each other about what happened last night without having to tune into their thoughts. It was obvious that they suspected something, but it was just as obvious that there wouldn't be any cops knocking on the door asking about murder.

Despite the addition of vamps to the local police force, vamp-against-vamp violence was generally ignored by the authorities. The human authorities anyway.

Erik had notified the Queen of Louisiana as soon as the deed was done. She didn't seem to have a problem, but that would last only as long as Erik kept things in order. Whether or not Erik managed that was dependent mostly on Lorena. If she decided to make trouble for Erik, there were ways to do it. Erik was a lot older then Lorena and could take her easily in a fight.

The problem was that Lorena knew that.

She had grounds for a formal complaint and if Erik didn't offer fair compensation then she could go to Russell Edgington, the King of Mississippi for representation. She was currently living in Jackson under his protection and he could see an insult against her as an insult against him. And since Erik had asked Lorena to send Bill as a favor to him he was in an especially precarious position.

This was going to cost Erik big.

Sookie tried to make herself care, but she couldn't work up the effort. After what happened with Erik the night before she didn't have any hope left inside of her for the future. She didn't have any blind trust inside of her to give to Erik and knew no way to get the assurance she so desperately needed. She had nothing to look forward to and felt eternity stretch ahead of her.

"Sookie?" Erik murmured from across the table at the booth they were sharing. It was the same one that they had sat at with Bill and Sookie looked at Erik as he sat where Bill had sat. She saw that he was holding his hand out to her.

She didn't move.

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward himself to touch the exposed flesh of her forearm just above her wrist. His thoughts tickled the outer edges of her consciousness but she didn't let them in. She turned dull eyes to meet Erik's without expression. His scowl was enough to make anyone else watching flinch away with unease but Sookie didn't blink.

"Yes Erik?" she asked tonelessly. He tightened his grip on her arm painfully but she didn't relent. She would rather hear the half-truths out loud then within her own head, it didn't seem like such a violation that way.

"The rush from killing Bill already gone?" he snapped, obviously annoyed with her mood.

"I didn't kill him" she corrected easily. "You did"

"So you're pouting now?" he demanded under his breath. To Sookie's ears it was clear as a bell but she knew he was trying to keep the humans in the bar from getting too much of an earful. Sookie knew better than to push him far and matched her voice level to his.

"I'm not pouting. I couldn't have taken Bill in a fight. I know that" She let her eyes drift from him and showed as much emotion as if they had been discussing the weather.

"Then what is your problem tonight?"

Sookie looked back at Erik quickly, opening herself quickly to his emotions without letting her facial expressions show it. His frustration was mixed with equal parts annoyance and worry.

"Why did you change me?" she asked suddenly, hoping that she could get a glimpse at what was really inside of the large Viking that owned her. She thought that the surprise would help...and it did. For a second anyway, but that was all she needed.

He hadn't meant to change her so soon. He hadn't had permission.

'Permission from who?' It was the question bouncing around in her head but she knew better than to ask or even to let her face show her confusion. Erik had a talent of reading her, but she was going to block him as effectively as he had always been able to block her. She had to be. If Erik knew what she was up to he would pull back completely. Despite how small her accomplishment really was she felt it buoy her mood. Information was information and this meant that she wasn't completely without hope.

"You know why" Erik answered, his barriers now fully in place with only an echoing of his words coming through their contact. "I wanted to keep you"

Sookie felt the same pleasure at hearing the words now as she had the first time he had said them. She could feel the possessiveness that came with them and let the joy of being wanted sweep through her. Even now he had a huge draw on he and she had to fight the urge to pour her heart out to him. She wondered if their connection was something that all vampires had with their makers and if it would ever wear off.

"Then why was Pam so upset?" she continued. Erik hadn't wanted to discuss it very deeply and this was the first time that she had the temerity to push him. And by the way that his brows shot together he wasn't too happy about it. "Please" she whispered as she looked into his eyes. It was a question she had needed answered since Pam had left and she hoped that Erik cared enough to give her this at least.

Erik stared at her for what seemed like forever but was only a few seconds. She teetered on the edge of wanting to know and wanting to throw herself into his arms and pretend like Bill had never been here. Hadn't torn away the blinders she had been wearing for too long. But before she could decide he was speaking.

"Pam and I have a very long history. And in it we have been together and we have been apart. In all of this time there have always been other women, men, and vampires. There has never been any jealousy between us". He paused then and looked at her in a way that made her itch for him. "Until you"

Sookie nearly recoiled with the shock of his words. "Pam was jealous of me?" she whispered, not able to connect the vampire she knew with such an emotion. What threat could Sookie possibly ever have for Pam?

"No Sookie. You misunderstand me" Erik shook his head. Sookie opened her mouth to ask what he had meant when he continued. "I was the one that was jealous"

"You?!" she squeaked it out loud enough to have heads turning and Erik's lips curved at her reaction. "Why would...?"

"Pam has always preferred women" Erik answered easily, relaxing for the first time since they had sat down. "I never minded, but when you both seemed to enjoy yourselves so much..."

Sookie laughed out loud at the chagrined look on his face and felt some of the tension melt from her shoulders. "You wanted to be the center of attention?" she chuckled as she let her hand move to clasp his.

Erik's eyes seemed to warm as he smiled at her. "I wanted to be ALL you paid attention to" he laughed. "I was a little less willing to share you then I thought I'd be"

"So Pam left because....she wanted to give us some space?"

Erik's smile faded as he stroked a finger over her wrist. "She left because I ordered her to" he said quietly. Sookie looked up at him in surprise. He had always hinted that it had been Pam's own decision to leave and she had never doubted that. She hadn't fathomed a reason for Erik to want the statuesque beauty gone. "I gave that order for the same reason that I changed you Sookie. I wanted you to be mine in all ways" He grimaced at her. "And I had no intention of letting Pam sink her claws into you"

"You can't think that I would ever turn from you?" Sookie asked in disbelief. Even with her heart and mind in complete disarray she knew that her body belonged solely to Erik Northman and that it always would. He had only to look at her and she was ready for him, nearly panting for it. Their mutual attraction was the one constant that Sookie knew she could rely on when everything else seemed to be made from smoke.

Erik looked at her through blue eyes that no longer looked quite as icy as usual. She felt the tell-tale pull in her stomach that told her she was readying for him. She hadn't known what to expect of her own body after Erik had turned her. It was a pleasant surprise to find that most things felt the same, just heightened. The heated passion she had shared with Erik on that first night hadn't changed all that much. A smile curved Sookie's lips as she thought of one major difference in the sex since her change; her stamina.

"Happy now that you know my weakness?" Erik smiled back at her strangely. She couldn't read the emotion on his face and her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to pull the answers from his skin. She tightened her grip on Erik's hand on purpose, wanting him to know that she was opening her doors. It would be up to him whether or not he opened his.

Sookie frowned as she faced a new barrier. It was as if Erik had put a mirror between them and all she could see was herself. Not her own thoughts echoed back...but something else. She tried to push past it but it was intangible to her mental probes. As she focused she noticed that the mirror was flawed. The image it projected back was her...but not. It was softer and brighter as if painted on stain-glass with the sun shining through. One thought was all she could pull from the mists of Erik's mind; Mine.

"Erik?" Sookie's voice trembled with uncertainty. She felt as if Erik's eyes would swallow her up until she only existed in his thoughts. She tried to pull her hand from his, suddenly afraid and wanting distance. But Erik held tight and his smile widened. She considered shutting him out of her mind but couldn't bring herself to do it. It was as if he was drugging her senses and the longer she kept the contact the more addicted she was to the feeling. He moved his fingers over her wrist again but this time it was different. Like fireworks had gone off inside of her body. His own pleasure melted over her until she felt languid with sensations. She was being torn in two, half of her rocketing off to an arousal she hadn't reached before and half of her wallowing in his attention as if it was honey.

'Sookie'

He didn't speak it aloud but she heard it anyway. A shiver went down her spine and she nearly came from his thoughts alone. But it wasn't the raunchy stuff she was used to. It was soft and sweet and she wanted to scream with how much she wanted him.

"Please" she whimpered. She didn't even know what she was asking for but knew that Erik was the only one who could give it to her. The answer came quickly and Sookie barely stopped herself from arching back in her seat. In his mind he was loving her and she felt his touch more then she ever had when he had actually been making his thoughts reality. It was as if he was using his mind to coax sweet music from her nerves like they were on a violin. He pushed further and she clung to his hand with all of her substantial strength. She climaxed right there as they sat across from each other in the booth with only their hands touching. She bit her lip to keep from shouting but couldn't stop her hips from jerking slightly.

She saw Erik's nostrils flare as he caught the scent of her soaking her panties and shivered from aftershocks that rippled through her body.

"Erik" she whispered his name like a prayer and stood up. She pulled at his hand to bring him to her and he followed eagerly. It was only milliseconds before they were standing next to the bed in the back room. Sookie didn't let herself think about the reactions that their speed would create in the bar patrons and reached frantically for Erik's clothes. It took even less time for both of them to be naked and in each others arm in the bed.

"Sookie" This time he said it aloud and she purred in response to his hoarse voice. His hands smoothed down her back and she arched into his touch. But she wouldn't let herself be distracted from her goal. She wanted to give back all the pleasure he had just given her.

Softly kissing his collar bone she paid strict attention to his thoughts. She wanted to give him his every desire before he even knew what he wanted. There had been times when he had used her body for his own pleasure and had commanded her every move to satisfy his lust. She could still remember the hot electricity that had gone through her when he had treated her like a sexual object. It was the sexiest thing that he did with her, losing control with her like that...until now. Making love with her in their minds was...perfect. And that was what it had been, making love. Sookie realized that it was the first time for her. Every thing else had been sex or, even better, fucking. She desperately wanted another first with Erik. She wanted him to be the first and only that she made love to.

Letting her lips trail slowly down his hard body she felt him shudder and smiled up at him through her lashes. She was going to take her time with him and do her best to draw it out as long as possible. Every inch of his large body was hers and she was going to make sure that by then end he would know it too.

She paused at his straining cock as it bobbed in front of her face. She licked it delicately and met Erik's eyes fiercely as he groaned.

"Mine!" she hissed right before she took him into her mouth.


	14. Chapter 14

AUTHOR'S NOTE: You guys may have noticed that I don't use Erik's 'lair' in my fic. It would totally make sense for some of Sookie and Erik's interaction to take place there, but I am going to continue avoiding it. It hasn't been discussed as far as I know in the books OR in the show and I don't want to step in it ;P Thank you all for the great feedback. It has inspired me to keep going.

CHAPTER 14

Erik's arm around her felt so good that Sookie wished they could stay in the bed forever. It reminded her of their first night together; when she had fallen asleep on his chest as he stroked her back. That night had been the only time that she had cuddled with Erik like that. Sleep for a vampire was completely different then it was for a human. There was no tossing and turning...or cuddling. Once the sun began to rise Sookie fell into what felt like a coma and she didn't move until it went back down. Erik seemed to be able to move around some if he really wanted to but Sookie was too young and it was very important for her to be ready when the night began to wane.

It was only two in the morning now and they had hours before they had to leave the bar. Sookie hoped that Erik's strange mood lasted that long. He never liked to extend their time in bed past the actual act and she was wallowing in the luxury.

She trailed her fingers down his chest and smiled at the way his muscles jumped at her touch. Erik's fingers echoed the movement down her spine and nearly purred at how delicious it felt. The last hour had been the most incredibly erotic experience of her life. And considering the sex she had with Erik that was saying something. She couldn't help but think that it was because of the sweetness he showed her and that she then showed him. She hadn't thought that vampires were capable of anything less than the full throttle passion she was used to so it had been a very pleasant surprise.

"I wish that I could have given you back half of what you gave me" Sookie whispered into Erik's chest.

"You're wasting your wish on something you have already more than accomplished" Erik chuckled into her hair as he kissed her head. Sookie felt moisture in her eyes and blinked it away. She knew that vampires wept blood and she didn't want to ruin the moment. She suddenly felt like the most treasured creation on earth and it was breaking her heart.

"You only had to touch my hand..." Sookie tried to explain how powerful it had been, how important.

"It was you Sookie" Erik said gently. "It was what you inspired in me. I just let you feel it too"

"That's what I mean Erik" she insisted, lifting her head to look into his eyes, into the blue that was everything to her now. "I wish I could show you what you make me feel. How beautiful you are"

Erik's lips pulled into a grin and he winked at her impudently. "I already know that" His eyebrows waggled at her lecherously as he shifted their bodies to fill her with himself. Sookie moaned and felt her internal muscles clenching his cock. "I make you feel...amazing" he groaned.

She laughed lightly and pulled up so that she was astride him. "And you definitely know exactly how pretty you are"

"Pretty?!" Erik balked at the feminine word as he began to thrust inside her slowly. "I am a perfection only equalled by the Gods!" he insisted with a grin still on his face. " 'Pretty' isn't the word"

Sookie laughed and kissed him full on the mouth as she rotated her hips. She tried to push away all of her worries and doubts and just focus on Erik but it wasn't working. She frowned down at him sadly as she continued to ride him again.

"Sookie?" he looked up at her questioningly. His hand reached up and cupped her face. She nuzzled into his hand and felt a tear slip through her eye as she looked at the being she loved. "What's wrong?" he asked softly as his thumb swept the blood from her cheek.

"I love you" she whispered as more tears fell from her open eyes.

Erik moved quickly and before she knew it she was pressed under him into the mattress as he thrust more insistently into her warmth. His tongue wiped the tears from her face and she gasped in a breath to see if the blood would spin him out of control. But he maintained a steady speed and eased himself onto his elbows above her.

"And that makes you cry?" Erik asked without expression on his face. Sookie didn't respond. She didn't know how to explain how torn she felt without angering him. And she couldn't simply throw away any chance she had to pry the answers she needed from him. If he knew her suspicions he would lock her away from any thought that was important. "Don't you trust me?" Erik whispered.

Sookie's eyes snapped to his quickly. Had he managed to guess how she felt despite her efforts? He didn't look angry but she knew she was treading on thin ice. She scrambled for some way to answer him without blowing things even more but she sensed that it was too late.

"Even after I answered your questions you look at me like that?!" he said hoarsely. Sookie swallowed as she saw the rage cover his features. The slow thrusting suddenly sped up until he was pounding into her. Sookie gasped with a mixture of fear and pleasure. She had only seen Erik this angry once before and didn't know what would happen to her. The last time he had thrown Pam across the room and changed her into a vampire. What could he do now?


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Erik bared his teeth at her as his rage seemed to take over. Sookie's body seemed to vibrate with the need to run from the danger that he was posing but she knew it was impossible to escape. He was now holding her hands above her head and pressed to the bed. He was hammering into her and despite herself she felt her body responding. The fear only seemed to amplify the sensations traveling through her nerves and she thrust her hips to meet his helplessly.

Erik dropped his head to latch onto her breast and she whimpered as he caught hold of her nipple in his teeth. The pressure was just short of pain and it shot her straight into her orgasm as his cock continued to move in her until Erik reached his own pleasure.

Sookie came back to herself quickly. She knew that Erik had cum soon after her, but he was still holding her down in the same position. She let her eyes flutter open to look at him and she winced at the rage still burning in his eyes.

"What more can I do?" he growled at her. "How else can I show you that I would never hurt you?" His hands on her wrists gentled as he continued. "Slow, fast, gentle and rough, you always respond and I NEVER HURT YOU!" Sookie began to tremble more as he rasped out his anger at her. She turned her head to the bed and closed her eyes in fear. "And yet you turn from me" he finished in a whisper as he pulled away from her and sat on the side of the bed. Sookie opened her eyes and saw him rub his hands over his face wearily, a human gesture she had never seen him make.

"It's not the sex" she whispered to his back, swallowing as she saw his back stiffen at his words.

"Then what?" he asked without turning. Sookie hesitated. She still wasn't sure what she should tell him. She knew she had to say something. "What?!" he insisted as he turned to look at her, his gaze searing her.

"You're keepin' somethin' from me" she blurted out without thinking. She felt the blood freeze in her veins in the panic the quickly followed her words. She knew that her emotions were showing on her face but she couldn't bring the shield back up.

"What?" Erik asked in a very quiet and dangerous voice.

"You hold stuff back when we touch" she explained over the lump in her throat. "I don't know..."

"You expect me to open all my thoughts to you?" Erik asked incredulously. "You can't trust me unless you know every thought I've ever had?" he laughed humourlessly. "That isn't trust Sookie"

"How can I trust you?!" Sookie cried out in sudden anger. "After Bill..."

"I'M NOT BILL!" Erik roared as he came to his feet and pulled her from the center of the bed to his chest. Sookie felt his naked body pressed to hers and couldn't stop the leap of arousal. "What you feel for me isn't because of a trick, or because of lies"

"Whose permission?!" she asked desperately. She wanted to believe. She wanted it more than anything in her whole life. But she couldn't ignore what she had already learned. And if she had to pay with her life for her impudence than it was better than never knowing.

Erik's eyes widened with understanding and his grip tightened on her shoulders briefly before he pushed her from him. Sookie landed back on the bed and she looked up at him uneasily. His face was suddenly closed to her and he was backing up as if she was a live grenade.

It reminded her of the reaction people had to her back in Bons Temps.

"What else did you take without permission?" he asked the question in a dead voice. Sookie felt shame rush through her and looked away from him. "Tell me what else" The words were quiet but they held command and Sookie had no choice but to answer.

"Only that" Sookie said earnestly. But the compelling nature of his command forced her words to keep on. "You didn't plan on it so early" she rushed on. She had a bad feeling that Erik could tell she had tried to hold something back, but she couldn't meet his gaze to find out.

"After all this time, that is all you managed to sneak out of me?" Erik sneered at her. "I was giving you too much credit"

Sookie shook her head as fresh tears fell. "I never tried" she cried. "Not until..." She faltered and started to cry in earnest, no longer caring that blood was covering her face.

"Until Bill" Erik finished harshly. "Get up". Sookie was up and standing in front of him before the order fully registered in her mind. He once again leaned forward to lick the blood from her face. But this time the fear had swamped any other physical reaction. He did a thorough job and Sookie didn't let herself move in fear of what he would do next. "I understand your fear now" he said coldly. "I should kill you for this". Sookie trembled but otherwise didn't move. "Do you deny it?"

"No" Sookie answered clearly. She controlled her fear and looked up at Erik without blinking. Whatever her fate was, she wasn't going to face it as a weepy child. Erik looked down at her for a few minutes without moving, but Sookie waited silently. When he lifted his hand to her neck she still didn't move. Only when his grip tightened did she speak. "I'm sorry" she whispered. She thought of closing her eyes but wanted the last thing she saw to be his blue eyes.


	16. Chapter 16

Thanks for all the great reviews. I am trying, trying, trying to keep the new chapters coming along smoothly. I know how hateful it is when I have a month in between each one.

CHAPTER 16

"Are you really that blind?" Erik's voice surprised Sookie. It was raspy with emotion and it had her frowning in confusion. His hand was currently around her neck and about to rip the life out of her. They were standing in the bedroom set up in Fangtasia for more hands-on patrons and they were naked. The sheets were the same black silk from the first time she had been in the room. He had looked cold only seconds before, but now looked mildly curious, as if he were talking to an actual blind person.

"I...I don't understand" she stuttered out, wondering why she wasn't dead yet.

"I know you don't" he sighed out as his hand began to caress her neck. "If you understood you wouldn't be standing there so bravely".

Sookie took a deep breath as fear bubbled up in her throat. "Will it...will it hurt so much then?" she asked with a strained voice.

"Sookie" he whispered as he leaned in to kiss her lips softly. Her eyes fluttered closed at the light pressure and she savoured the last kiss he would ever give her. He kissed her mouth again, then lightly kissed her forehead as he began to chuckle. "My little blind fool". Her eyes snapped back open and she looked up at him in shock.

"What?!"

"I'm not going to kill you" he said with a smile still on his painfully handsome face.

"But you said..." she stammered.

"That I _should _kill you for what you did" he clarified. "Not that I _will_ kill you". He kissed her again, but Sookie pulled away. She went to where their clothes were piled on the floor and started dressing. She was too embarrassed to look at him right now. He had purposely let her think that he was going to kill her. Maybe he had just wanted to see her reaction. God know what his plans to punish her really were.

"Sookie. Stop"

She froze where she was with her dress just over her thighs. He walked up behind her and cupped her bare breasts in his hands. She sucked in a breath as he twisted her nipples in between his fingers.

She wanted to move.

She wasn't sure if it would be to get away from her or to get closer. But she knew that just standing there was driving her mad. He had had hundreds of years to perfect his technique when it came to touching women, and Sookie was reaping the rewards.

If only she could move.

Their sexual antics had covered a lot of ground in the short period of time together, but this was a first. He had never used commands in the bedroom before; had in fact rarely commanded her at all. She hadn't given him reason to. Erik had always been free with his praise for her control as a young vampire. She had followed common sense and his subtle hints for her behaviour and it had led her to be as much of an upstanding citizen as a vampire could be.

But that was before she had betrayed him.

She knew now that it had been a betrayal when she had tricked the thoughts out of him. She had crossed the line. It didn't matter that she knew he was keeping something from her. It didn't matter that she couldn't completely trust him until she knew what that something was. All that mattered was that he was her master and she had betrayed him. Now she was left wrestling with the realization that he wasn't going to kill her.

Sookie didn't understand why that terrified her more.

He still hadn't moved his hands from her breasts. The caresses were quickly bringing her close to orgasm. The small area of contact that he was maintaining while still pleasuring her was almost like it had been in the booth earlier. But unlike a few hours before, she was no longer mentally linked to him. All the pleasure was physical.

"Let me hear you". Erik's whispered words seemed to unlock something inside Sookie. A moan slipped through her lips. It didn't release any of the helplessness that her frozen body was feeling. When you thought of a man touching you the way Erik was, it was unnatural to think of being totally still. Your hips wanted to move, your hands itched to touch the hard planes of his body and each and every one of your muscles wanted to quiver. Not being able to do any of it was an agony that Sookie could barely stand.

"Please" she whimpered as she began to cry again. "Finish it".

Erik's hands dropped from her and she began to weep openly. But even then she wasn't able to move. Only her face showed the ravages of her grief as the rest of her remained still. His fingers trailed down her spine and she burned to arch into the touch.

"Are you still convinced that I'm going to kill you?" His voice was mildly curious. Sookie knew that even if she could look at his face, it wouldn't betray any emotions.

"No" she whimpered.

"Then why are so upset?"

Sookie didn't answer right away. She didn't know how to explain the bundle of emotions inside of her. Part of her wished for the simplicity of death. Then there wouldn't be any more fear. Fear of betrayal, fear of punishment...fear of the unknown.

"I'm scared" she answered honestly. She couldn't have lied if she had wanted to.

"Scared?" Erik sounded surprised. "Scared of what? I already told you that I wasn't going to kill you".

"Of what you ARE going to do to me" she whispered. Sookie had always prided herself in her strength. But now that she was a vampire and, one would assume, less vulnerable she felt like a quivering mass of Jell-O. She couldn't help being ashamed of that. It shouldn't matter that her fate was in Erik's hands. She should be able to face anything that he shot at her with her head held high. It wasn't like she was afraid of any physical pain he was going to deal out to her. Vampires heal fast, and she wasn't a stranger to pain. The Ratray's hadn't been the first in Bons Temps to push Sookie around.

Erik took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. She moved like a mannequin, completely lifeless and at his control. When she looked at his face she saw the calm mask she had expected. She didn't bother to echo it on her own face. He obviously wanted to know her thoughts and she could make things harder for him but not stop him outright. Whatever was showing on her face was obviously not to his liking but he quickly began to scowl at her.

"You fear pain?" he demanded harshly. Sookie wasn't sure what about that thought made him so angry. Was it her spinelessness, or was it her believing he would harm her? She was leaning more towards the first one.

"No" she denied, not wanting to drop any further in his eyes. "Not _physical_ pain anyway". Erik's brows rose at that and his frown cleared away. He stepped back from her and sat on the edge of the bed. She couldn't help it when her eyes skimmed over his sculpted body. She loved to look at the way his muscles moved under his pale skin. It was like a well-orchestrated dance that her fingers wanted to join in.

"What exactly do you think I will do?" Sookie moved her eyes away from him and kept silent. He could come up with his own ways to torture her without her giving him ideas. "Tell me". She sighed at the command and almost laughed at how she had thought there was some choice for her.

"Not let me move when you touch me". She blurted out the option that had so recently been used. She didn't look at him but could imagine the smug pleasure on his face. "That you wouldn't touch me at all; push me away and treat me like a nuisance". She swallowed a lump in her throat, and tried to hold back, but the words seemed to bubble out of her. "That you'll never trust me again...that I'll never be able to trust you". The last was whispered and she had to force back more tears before she shamed herself anymore.

"Those are all things that you are afraid I WON'T do Sookie" he said gently. "Answer my question".

"Treat me like a toy". It came out as if someone was strangling her, and that was what it felt like. She knew that he would remember that last time the concept of her as a toy had come up. He had told her that Bill had been using her as a toy. And after her time with Erik to compare with Bill's treatment she knew it to be the truth. She could also remember Erik telling her that Bill loved her as much as a vampire could love a human, which wasn't much apparently. So the thought of Erik behaving like that with her was already shattering her heart.

"A toy". It wasn't a question and he didn't need her to expand on it. It was a statement and an acknowledgment of her words. "Like Bill" he finished with satisfaction. Sookie's eyes closed as she realised she had handed Erik a weapon to use against her that would hurt more than anything else possibly could.

She had handed him her heart.


	17. Chapter 17

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It has been a while since I wrote from Erik's perspective but I think its time. I hope you guys enjoy it. As I'm writing this I have a feeling that the vampires don't shake hands but am not at home to double check. Please let me know so I can edit it if I need to. Thanx. And I am reading all of the great feedback. I hear you about there still being unanswered questions, and I am getting to that soon. Don't worry, I'm going to try and catch all the loose ends. If I miss one please keep letting me know.

CHAPTER 17

Erik hardly talked to her for the rest of the night except to give her orders. She went to her resting place nearly 15 minutes before it was necessary and laid there as the night replayed through her mind. The obvious pleasure he had gained by learning her greatest fear had left her shaken. She had always sensed the brutal power that Erik had, but she had never really thought he would use it against her.

Know she was almost certain of what he was going to do. Crush her.

She was saved from her own thoughts as the sun began to rise and sleep took over. She had seconds to be glad that there was _some _time of peace to look forward to each night.

-----------------

Erik sent Sookie to bed early so that he didn't have to see the pain on her face anymore. He could tell that she tried her best to hide it, but she was failing miserably.

He had been alive for over a thousand years, and it had been a long time since he had been in this kind of turmoil. So much had happened in the last few nights and Erik wasn't entirely sure how he was going to handle it. Lorena was a pressing issue and he knew that she was going to make him pay dearly for Bill's death. He had known it before he had decided to kill him. The decision had been impractical and unnecessary, considering that with a few words he could have had Bill out of his hair and his territory for good.

But Sookie had been hurt.

Erik still had a hard time being okay with how much that seemed to matter to him. After the fact, when the clean-up was finished and Sookie had been standing there with Bill's blood covering her he had been filled with rage. And it had been directed solely at himself. He knew better than to make choices based on emotion, but had done exactly that. And afterwards he had used Sookie coldly for the first time.

Why did that make guilt twist through him?

He could still see her face as she looked up at him; so filled with love. He knew that she wasn't aware of it, but when they where in bed he could read everything off of her face as if it was an instruction manual to her heart. He could remember the first time he had seen the 'look' and realized what it meant. It had been only minutes before Bill had walked back into their lives and ruined everything.

Erik wanted to break something in his hands. He wanted to go back in time and open his heart to Sookie while he had the chance. Back when she still trusted him a little. He had tried tonight. He had shown her his thoughts and his love…and she had finally given him the words.

But not the trust.

He was haunted by the thought that if he hadn't held back after Bill's death he would have her completely; if he hadn't been so unsure of his own feelings and desires. He knew she suspected darker secrets and ulterior motives, but what he kept held back from her the most was his obsession for her. Every word he had told her about Pam leaving was true. He was too possessive to share and the thought that there was a part of Sookie that preferred the statuesque blond had been too much for him.

A smile curved his lips as he remembered her reaction to his admission. It became very clear that his absorption with her was returned equally. Pam could be called home now. Sleep took him as he discovered that despite her tricks to get at his hidden thought, he trusted her feelings now more than ever.

And it was time to talk to the Queen.

* * *

Sookie tried to stay out of Erik's way the next night.

He was obviously happy about something, but she had no idea what. She longed for a time when she had been free to ask about his moods without worry. But now she was afraid that she would take away from his pleasure by reminding him about his naughty pet.

She spent most of her first hours at the bar with Chow listening as he interacted with the patrons. They kept trying to catch her eye but she kept her gaze carefully vague. The last thing she needed was some fangbanger thinking he stood a chance with her.

* * *

Erik watched her as she sat motionless at the bar. He noticed the uneasy looks she was getting and hid his grin. Most of the humans who came here were used to two different behaviors from the vampires: interest or distance. A vampire not looking for a willing meal or sexual partner usual sat in a booth away from every one else and only interacted with other vamps. But Sookie was sitting in the middle of a bunch of humans and was looking as interested in titillation as mother Teresa. They weren't sure what to expect from her.

Neither was he for that matter.

She had kept her distance from him since waking and for now he was letting her get away with it. He would tell her later the good news about Pam, but thought she needed a little time for herself. He briefly considered letting her go for a run in the woods by herself to release some of her nervous energy but discarded it just as quickly. He didn't like her to be too far from him and he couldn't get away tonight. He was expecting a call from Lorena and he wanted to get it over with. He wasn't even planning to haggle over the compensation he was going to give her.

For the pleasure of killing the only other man that had fucked Sookie he was willing to pay a lot.

* * *

Sookie looked over at Erik's retreating form at the sound of his low chuckle. She was slightly confused at his mood, but she didn't want to look for trouble where it wasn't. And if he was planning something nasty for her than worrying about it wasn't going to help anyway.

She sighed and let herself dip into the minds of the humans surrounding her. Most of the thought were carnal, but she picked up a few that made her teeth distend. She wasn't fond of the women who came here looking to sell themselves. They wanted the great sex and the excitement and for some reason thought that they deserved to be paid for it as well. Sookie knew that most vampires _were_ willing to pay for a fresh one, but there weren't any of _those_ here tonight. She had the urge to go right to the specific women and let them now that their price went down each time they were fed from. Wonder how they'd take _that_ news.

"Hi".

Sookie focused on the painfully eager young man in front of her. He was shaking slightly from the adrenaline rush he had from just talking to her. She looked him over and saw that he was a very attractive blond man with a body that looked like he worked in construction. His face was tanned, but not too much, and he had a very distinctive Nordic quality to his chiseled features. A part of her knew that every little bit of interest in him was because of his likeness to Erik but she smiled at him anyway.

"Hi" she purred it at him as she signaled to the empty bar seat next to her. Despite how packed the bar was on a Friday night, the people near the bar had known not to take the only seat next to her unless they were invited. That was why she had a spot free for the gutsy Adonis in front of her.

"I'm Mark". He introduced himself clumsily and held his hand out to her to shake. He seemed to realize his mistake and was about to pull his hand back, but Sookie took a hold of him before he could. She watched the blood rush to his face with interest. She could actually smell it in his veins and she felt a pang of hunger go through her.

"Hi Mark" she said smoothly, keeping hold of his hand and even smoothing her fingers over his hand soothingly. "I'm Sookie".

She knew that Erik was behind her even without the suddenly terrified look on Mark's face. She almost laughed at his expression but decided to be nice and just let her smile widen. She was still holding his hand when she looked up into Erik's angry eyes.

"Erik" she said easily, trying not to let her nerve leave her. The seconds of fun she had let herself have with Mark had lifted her mood and she wasn't willing to let the feeling go. It already felt like a dark cloud had been hanging off of her forever. "Doesn't Mark here look kinda like you?" She looked back at Mark as Erik let his gaze take in the other man's features.

"I see a slight resemblance" Erik allowed in an assured tone. Sookie opened her mind and saw just how nervous Mark was. He had quickly picked up on the undercurrents between her and Erik and he was wondering if Erik was as jealous of a vampire as he looked. Erik didn't leave him wondering long. "I also see that he is touching you". Erik's tone didn't change but the words were enough to have the man nearly rip his hand out of Sookie's grip.

"Erik" Sookie laughed chidingly. "You scared him". She reached out her hand to pat Mark's face and smiled gently. "Don't worry sweety" she crooned. "He knows I was just playing".

"Yeah 'sweety'" Erik grinned, his teeth gleaming brightly. "Don't worry".

Sookie's laughter followed Mark out of the bar as he ran for his life.

* * *

Erik was grinning as he pulled Sookie behind him into his office. He loved her laugh. Loved knowing how resilient she was. He knew that she still upset over their fight but she wasn't letting it keep her down.

"You're not really angry, are you?" Her voice sounded only slightly unsure and he frowned down at her mockingly. Her brows pulled together and Erik fought another grin as she began to look really nervous. "I didn't mean…"

Erik stopped her words by holding his hand out to her. She looked at him hesitantly before taking the hand. He knew she wasn't 'on' or she wouldn't still be frowning and he sighed. He was still used to her touching him without thought, and the idea of her waiting for his permission was a tough one.

"Go ahead" he said gently, pulling her forward slowly at the same time. He gave her just enough time to see her eyes widen before covering his mouth with his own.


End file.
